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The Red Bandanna: A Life. A Choice. A Legacy.
The inspirational story of Welles Crowther, whose decision, determination and sacrifice in the terror of 9/11 have inspired millions, and whose short life offers a lasting lesson on character, calling, and courage--in how we live, and in the legacy we choose to leave behind
When Welles Crowther was a young boy in Nyack, NY, his father gave him a red handkerchief to keep in his back pocket, in case he ever needed it. He kept it with him on the way to church that day and nearly every day after. It was a fixture as he grew up, tucked in jeans or wrapped around his head as he played lacrosse for Boston College. The bandanna was a signature, long before it became a symbol.
Welles was like a lot of us, if just a bit better - an honors student, but not the valedictorian; a Division I athlete, but not a star; kindhearted but not saintly. He wanted the stuff of a good life and was willing to work for it. Fresh from college, he came to New York City for a job on Wall Street. His office was on the 104th floor of the World Trade Center.
But Welles wasn't entirely fulfilled by his desk job. He'd grown up volunteering at the local fire department in Nyack and loved the necessity and camaraderie, the meaning of the role. And so, shortly before 9/11, he called his father to say he was thinking of quitting finance and applying to be a firefighter with the FDNY. His father, a fellow banker and volunteer firefighter, was stunned.
When the World Trade Center fell, Welles' parents, like the families of so many who were lost in the attacks, had no idea what happened to him. In the unbearable days and weeks that followed, they came to accept that he would never come home. But the mystery of his final hours lingered painfully.
Eight months after the attacks, however, Welles' mother would read another news account that would yet again change the family's lives. A survivor from the attacks, who'd been badly hurt on the 78th floor of the South Tower, said she and others had been led to safety by a stranger, carrying a woman on his back, down nearly twenty flights of stairs. When they emerged from the stairwell, firefighters took them the rest of the way out. But the young man turned around and went back up the stairs. He would make the trip up and down again and again, taking a group with him each time. The survivor never asked his name and couldn't see his face. But she remembered one detail clearly: he was wearing a red bandanna.
Welles' parents knew they'd found their son. They sent the woman a picture of Welles, and she confirmed: it was him. The story spread. Welles was honored as an FDNY fireman, the first time in its history the New York City Fire Department had named a civilian to its ranks as an officially recognized member. Year after year, first at Boston College and now around the country, there are Red Bandanna days and races to honor Welles' sacrifice. When President Barack Obama spoke at the opening of the 9/11 Museum at Ground Zero, he chose to tell the story of one life lost: Welles Crowther.
Tom Rinaldi's The Red Bandanna is about a fearless choice, about the crucible of terror and the indomitable spirit to answer it. It travels Crowther's path to purpose and the journey his family has been on in the days and years since. Examining one decision in the gravest situation, it celebrates the difference one life can make. It is the story of a new symbol for strength, and how a bandanna has become the red badge of courage for a new time.
When Welles Crowther was a young boy in Nyack, NY, his father gave him a red handkerchief to keep in his back pocket, in case he ever needed it. He kept it with him on the way to church that day and nearly every day after. It was a fixture as he grew up, tucked in jeans or wrapped around his head as he played lacrosse for Boston College. The bandanna was a signature, long before it became a symbol.
Welles was like a lot of us, if just a bit better - an honors student, but not the valedictorian; a Division I athlete, but not a star; kindhearted but not saintly. He wanted the stuff of a good life and was willing to work for it. Fresh from college, he came to New York City for a job on Wall Street. His office was on the 104th floor of the World Trade Center.
But Welles wasn't entirely fulfilled by his desk job. He'd grown up volunteering at the local fire department in Nyack and loved the necessity and camaraderie, the meaning of the role. And so, shortly before 9/11, he called his father to say he was thinking of quitting finance and applying to be a firefighter with the FDNY. His father, a fellow banker and volunteer firefighter, was stunned.
When the World Trade Center fell, Welles' parents, like the families of so many who were lost in the attacks, had no idea what happened to him. In the unbearable days and weeks that followed, they came to accept that he would never come home. But the mystery of his final hours lingered painfully.
Eight months after the attacks, however, Welles' mother would read another news account that would yet again change the family's lives. A survivor from the attacks, who'd been badly hurt on the 78th floor of the South Tower, said she and others had been led to safety by a stranger, carrying a woman on his back, down nearly twenty flights of stairs. When they emerged from the stairwell, firefighters took them the rest of the way out. But the young man turned around and went back up the stairs. He would make the trip up and down again and again, taking a group with him each time. The survivor never asked his name and couldn't see his face. But she remembered one detail clearly: he was wearing a red bandanna.
Welles' parents knew they'd found their son. They sent the woman a picture of Welles, and she confirmed: it was him. The story spread. Welles was honored as an FDNY fireman, the first time in its history the New York City Fire Department had named a civilian to its ranks as an officially recognized member. Year after year, first at Boston College and now around the country, there are Red Bandanna days and races to honor Welles' sacrifice. When President Barack Obama spoke at the opening of the 9/11 Museum at Ground Zero, he chose to tell the story of one life lost: Welles Crowther.
Tom Rinaldi's The Red Bandanna is about a fearless choice, about the crucible of terror and the indomitable spirit to answer it. It travels Crowther's path to purpose and the journey his family has been on in the days and years since. Examining one decision in the gravest situation, it celebrates the difference one life can make. It is the story of a new symbol for strength, and how a bandanna has become the red badge of courage for a new time.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published August 29, 2017
476 people are currently reading
3690 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 570 reviews
February 6, 2022
Whoa. I’m so honored to be able to read this man’s story. I had heard about Welles before, but had never heard the full story of what he did on 9/11. What a brave person. I cried and felt so much for him and his family. I will be looking up and watching the documentaries about him. His is a name I will never forget.
January 12, 2018
The Red Bandanna
A Life. A Choice. A Legacy
Tom Rinaldi
MY RATING ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️▫️
PUBLISHER Penguin Press
PUBLISHED September 6, 2016
A powerful and thought-provoking story of what one man did in the last hour of his life.
SUMMARY
Welles Crowther always carried a red bandanna in his back pocket, it was his signature. His father had given him a red bandanna when Welles was just a young boy and told him to always keep in handy. When he worked as a researcher on the 104th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center, Welles would frequently place the red bandanna on the corner of his desk, and occasionally wave it over his head in jubilant acknowledgment of a request for research help. While Welles loved his finance job with Sandler O’Neill, his true passion and dream was of becoming a full-time firefighter with the FDNY. This is his September 11th story. It the story of a man who took charge in the smoke-filled sky elevator lobby on the 78th floor of the South Tower; a man that found the only open stairway and told others to follow him; a man that carried one woman on his back, down sixteen flights of stairs, and then went back up to help others. The survivors that he rescued didn’t know his name, but the one thing they remembered was that he wore a red bandanna around his neck.
REVIEW
I visited the September 11th Memorial with a group of friends late September 2017. As we were getting reading to leave, the cover of this beautiful book at a nearby kiosk caught my attention. As an avid reader I couldn’t think of a better remembrance of my visit to to the memorial. I was not familiar with Welles Crowther story, but l felt called to this particular book. Once I returned home to Florida it took a little courage to actually open and read the book, but I’m so glad I finally did. Emotionally it’s a difficult read, and I struggled with some of the writing, but as a story, like the paisley swirls in a red bandanna, it’s beautiful. TOM RINALDI has woven Welles Crowther’s character, courage and choice into a powerful and memorable tribute to a fine young man, and a beacon for us all.
“At 9:12 am Welles calls his mom and leaves a message. “Mom...this is Welles. I.... I want you to know that I’m okay.” They were the last words his family would ever hear him speak.”
THE RED BANDANNA
TOM RINALDI
A Life. A Choice. A Legacy
Tom Rinaldi
MY RATING ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️▫️
PUBLISHER Penguin Press
PUBLISHED September 6, 2016
A powerful and thought-provoking story of what one man did in the last hour of his life.
SUMMARY
Welles Crowther always carried a red bandanna in his back pocket, it was his signature. His father had given him a red bandanna when Welles was just a young boy and told him to always keep in handy. When he worked as a researcher on the 104th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center, Welles would frequently place the red bandanna on the corner of his desk, and occasionally wave it over his head in jubilant acknowledgment of a request for research help. While Welles loved his finance job with Sandler O’Neill, his true passion and dream was of becoming a full-time firefighter with the FDNY. This is his September 11th story. It the story of a man who took charge in the smoke-filled sky elevator lobby on the 78th floor of the South Tower; a man that found the only open stairway and told others to follow him; a man that carried one woman on his back, down sixteen flights of stairs, and then went back up to help others. The survivors that he rescued didn’t know his name, but the one thing they remembered was that he wore a red bandanna around his neck.
REVIEW
I visited the September 11th Memorial with a group of friends late September 2017. As we were getting reading to leave, the cover of this beautiful book at a nearby kiosk caught my attention. As an avid reader I couldn’t think of a better remembrance of my visit to to the memorial. I was not familiar with Welles Crowther story, but l felt called to this particular book. Once I returned home to Florida it took a little courage to actually open and read the book, but I’m so glad I finally did. Emotionally it’s a difficult read, and I struggled with some of the writing, but as a story, like the paisley swirls in a red bandanna, it’s beautiful. TOM RINALDI has woven Welles Crowther’s character, courage and choice into a powerful and memorable tribute to a fine young man, and a beacon for us all.
“At 9:12 am Welles calls his mom and leaves a message. “Mom...this is Welles. I.... I want you to know that I’m okay.” They were the last words his family would ever hear him speak.”
THE RED BANDANNA
TOM RINALDI
September 15, 2016
This is not an easy read. It is, however, one of the most inspiring books I've ever read. I bought the book in early September but purposely put off beginning it until Friday, September 9 because I wanted it fresh in my mind on the anniversary of 9/11. It will be fresh in my mind for a long, long time.
From the time he was in preschool, Welles Remy Crowther wanted to be a fireman. He was four years old when he received a blazing red ride-on fire truck from his grandparents for Christmas. When he was old enough, he realized that dream by becoming a volunteer in his village's fire department.
He played sports, and his interest in business took him off to Boston College and, after graduation, to a job on the 104th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center.
The red bandanna was a gift from his father when Welles was seven, during a father/son discussion about the difference between fashion and function. Wearing his Sunday best, Welles noticed his father's white pocket square and asked if he could have one. His father gave him two: one white and one red. He explained that the white one was for show. And then he explained that the red bandanna was "for blow." Of course, the young boy soon found other uses for it.
The red bandanna travelled in the right back pocket of every pair of pants he wore for the rest of his life, even when he donned a suit and tie for his job in Manhattan. He sometimes took it out and set it on his desk. Some of his coworkers teased him about it, and he laughed at their good-natured ribbing. But he never stopped carrying it.
The details about what people experienced on 9/11 are difficult to read, but they need to be told - so that no one ever forgets the horror of that day, or what innocent people who had merely gone off to work that morning endured. And we need to learn of the heroic deeds "normal" people rose to on that unspeakable day.
I cannot imagine the anguish of his parents and loved ones as hours turned into days which turned into weeks. When stories began to be told about the mysterious man wearing a red bandanna over his nose and mouth to protect him from smoke and debris, who led numerous people out of an inferno and into a stairwell and down to safety, his parents finally had answers to their questions about what happened to him.
He was only twenty-four years old, with a bright and promising career ahead of him. But on that day, he chose another route. I wept so often while reading this book that I was wishing I had my own red bandanna. I will never forget his story, his bravery, and his sacrifice. Read this book.
From the time he was in preschool, Welles Remy Crowther wanted to be a fireman. He was four years old when he received a blazing red ride-on fire truck from his grandparents for Christmas. When he was old enough, he realized that dream by becoming a volunteer in his village's fire department.
He played sports, and his interest in business took him off to Boston College and, after graduation, to a job on the 104th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center.
The red bandanna was a gift from his father when Welles was seven, during a father/son discussion about the difference between fashion and function. Wearing his Sunday best, Welles noticed his father's white pocket square and asked if he could have one. His father gave him two: one white and one red. He explained that the white one was for show. And then he explained that the red bandanna was "for blow." Of course, the young boy soon found other uses for it.
The red bandanna travelled in the right back pocket of every pair of pants he wore for the rest of his life, even when he donned a suit and tie for his job in Manhattan. He sometimes took it out and set it on his desk. Some of his coworkers teased him about it, and he laughed at their good-natured ribbing. But he never stopped carrying it.
The details about what people experienced on 9/11 are difficult to read, but they need to be told - so that no one ever forgets the horror of that day, or what innocent people who had merely gone off to work that morning endured. And we need to learn of the heroic deeds "normal" people rose to on that unspeakable day.
I cannot imagine the anguish of his parents and loved ones as hours turned into days which turned into weeks. When stories began to be told about the mysterious man wearing a red bandanna over his nose and mouth to protect him from smoke and debris, who led numerous people out of an inferno and into a stairwell and down to safety, his parents finally had answers to their questions about what happened to him.
He was only twenty-four years old, with a bright and promising career ahead of him. But on that day, he chose another route. I wept so often while reading this book that I was wishing I had my own red bandanna. I will never forget his story, his bravery, and his sacrifice. Read this book.
November 18, 2017
Most reviews for this book will say it is inspirational, and I certainly agree. Being a parent, it was difficult to read at times. Losing a child - I can't even imagine. Welles made the ultimate sacrifice to help others and his story, as well as the other victims', was tragic but needs to be heard.
I listened to the book which was narrated by the author. I thought he did a great job.
I listened to the book which was narrated by the author. I thought he did a great job.
February 5, 2019
this story was really inspiring and emotional, but the writing style just wasn’t my jam
2.5/5 🌟
2.5/5 🌟
June 21, 2019
2 stars for the book, 5 stars for the subject of the book.
February 18, 2018
3.5 - loved the inspiring story didn't always love the writing style.
July 17, 2017
This book tells the story of Welles Crowther, a 24-year-old man who, on September 11, 2001, began his day as an equities trader at the World Trade Center and ended it as part of the FDNY rescue team. Unfortunately his life also ended that day, but not before he led several other people out of the towers to safety. In The Red Bandanna, Tom Rinaldi recounts Crowther's childhood and adolescence, reading the past through the lens of the present, trying to find hints and clues in Crowther's youth of the heroism he would display as a young man.
Rinaldi's work reads as an extended eulogy, and he treads the line between pathos and sentimentality, memoir and hagiography, with varying degrees of success. Crowther is not portrayed as "perfect," but one does get the sense that his life has been a little whitewashed in light of his tragic death. Rinaldi's attempts at philosophizing can be a little jarring, such as when he asks the reader when she "gave up" on her dreams, leading up to the story of how Welles, though he worked in the lucrative field of finance, never fully gave up on his desire to become a firefighter. I'm not quite clear what Rinaldi hoped to achieve in such passages. Evoke a lost sense of inspired idealism in his reader? Place Welles on a pedestal above the reader as one who didn't give up his dreams? Either way, a lot of questionable assumptions about the reader are being made.
I think the book wants to portray Welles as both unique in his willingness to sacrifice himself for others, yet as also sharing in the heroism displayed by so many on September 11, including the many who perhaps were not recognized or honored. Rinaldi's writing is not entirely up to this task. He's at his best when he sticks to journalistic-style narrative, describing anecdotes and events and quoting witnesses and acquaintances. His recreated account of the day itself is haunting and horrifying, and when the survivors' voices got a chance to shine through, the tale became unforgettably gripping.
In the end, Welles' family's determination that their son should not have died in vain - that their son's death must have some sort of meaning and purpose - their efforts to ensure that his sacrifice will not be forgotten - becomes just as important a piece of the story as Welles' actions. The implied philosophical questions raised by the book - and the ones that interest me the most - are what makes a good death, how our lives prepare us for it, and how our loved ones help establish our deaths as meaningful. The story of Welles Crowther provides one family's attempts to answer those questions in the wake of unimaginable loss.
Rinaldi's work reads as an extended eulogy, and he treads the line between pathos and sentimentality, memoir and hagiography, with varying degrees of success. Crowther is not portrayed as "perfect," but one does get the sense that his life has been a little whitewashed in light of his tragic death. Rinaldi's attempts at philosophizing can be a little jarring, such as when he asks the reader when she "gave up" on her dreams, leading up to the story of how Welles, though he worked in the lucrative field of finance, never fully gave up on his desire to become a firefighter. I'm not quite clear what Rinaldi hoped to achieve in such passages. Evoke a lost sense of inspired idealism in his reader? Place Welles on a pedestal above the reader as one who didn't give up his dreams? Either way, a lot of questionable assumptions about the reader are being made.
I think the book wants to portray Welles as both unique in his willingness to sacrifice himself for others, yet as also sharing in the heroism displayed by so many on September 11, including the many who perhaps were not recognized or honored. Rinaldi's writing is not entirely up to this task. He's at his best when he sticks to journalistic-style narrative, describing anecdotes and events and quoting witnesses and acquaintances. His recreated account of the day itself is haunting and horrifying, and when the survivors' voices got a chance to shine through, the tale became unforgettably gripping.
In the end, Welles' family's determination that their son should not have died in vain - that their son's death must have some sort of meaning and purpose - their efforts to ensure that his sacrifice will not be forgotten - becomes just as important a piece of the story as Welles' actions. The implied philosophical questions raised by the book - and the ones that interest me the most - are what makes a good death, how our lives prepare us for it, and how our loved ones help establish our deaths as meaningful. The story of Welles Crowther provides one family's attempts to answer those questions in the wake of unimaginable loss.
October 10, 2020
Reading this book reminded me of attending the symphony. Like the symphony you surround yourself with the sounds and emotions. You are a spectator, surrendering and observing. A piece of music or sometimes even a single note can leave you breathless, soaring so high with tears brimming your eyes while the very next note drops you from the sky and plunges you into your envisioned hell. This book is like that. It’s about 9/11, hell. It’s about a family’s love, soaring. It’s about unspeakable loss for so many, hell. It’s about a grown mans decision to be indescribably brave and selfless and the ripples his decision made for countless others he saved that morning, soaring. As a mom to two sons, I have one who would have run the 75 feet to safety and into the rest of his life and another that would have stayed and helped. Honestly, I pray just a little bit harder at night for my “brave” son because I always hope he makes the “selfish” decision when he comes to difficult crossroads in his life. Godspeed Welles and God Bless Jeff and Alison.
October 14, 2025
(read this for school) giving this 3 ⭐️ bc the beginning part was a little slow & i wasn’t a big fan of the writing style, but the story itself is absolutely incredible! this book isn’t a light read since it’s obviously about 9/11 & my eyes were tearing up at some parts so be prepared if u read this. i can’t believe i haven’t heard about welles, the man in the red bandana who sacrificed his life to save others on 9/11, until this year. ik there’s a famous espn vid about him that’s shown in schools a lot, but i haven’t been shown it before. his story is so inspiring and he is definitely a true hero who deserves to be honored! i wouldn’t necessarily recommend anyone to read this specifically, but i highly recommend everyone to look up the story about the man in the red bandanna!!
January 12, 2021
All of us, young and old, need to hear about selfless heroes like Welles Crowther. His life attitude and heroism on 9/11 were such outstanding examples of the way we should all approach our lives. He looked for no accolades or recognition. He just wanted to serve others and do what he knew was right, even though he knew very well that it may cost him his life. His life was cut short way too soon. Few of us would contribute as much as he did, even if we lived a thousand years.
I highly recommend this book.
I highly recommend this book.
September 14, 2024
In memoriam of 9/11, I try to read a book about that day to honor those who lost their lives, the survivors, and the many who were forever changed by the devastation. This book is a story of a young man who had the opportunity to save himself or save others. In the face of possible death, what would you choose? Yourself or others? This young man made the selfless decision to save as many as he could during that horrific day. His story is one to know, remember, honor, and live by. 5 BIG stars and many tears for this one.
August 26, 2022
Ahhhh I finished it!! Ok so this was a summer reading book so obviously I didn’t enjoy it that much. But it was such a powerful story! Very sad though 😭
December 14, 2016
This book tells the story of Welles Crowther, a young man working on the 104th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center on 9/11. The horror of that day's events is shared through the grief of his parents. Anyone old enough to remember that day can get a whole new perspective from this book. The pain of those parents is unimaginable. Initially they, along with many other families with loved ones in the towers, have no idea if he survived. After several weeks, they come to the conclusion that he will not be found alive but struggle to deal with the anguish of not knowing what his last moments were like.
Eight long months later, his mother read a news report of several survivors rescued from the 78th floor who mentioned being saved by a man "with a red bandanna". When Welles was young, his father had given him a red bandanna before church one morning and ever since he had carried one in his back pocket. She feels strongly that these survivors had to have been saved by Welles.
Rinaldi does an outstanding job in relating the anguish and uncertainty Welles' parents deal with while unraveling the events occurring during the last moments of their son's life. This really is a tribute to a brave young man who literally gave his life to help others. It's heart wrenching and inspirational at the same time.
Eight long months later, his mother read a news report of several survivors rescued from the 78th floor who mentioned being saved by a man "with a red bandanna". When Welles was young, his father had given him a red bandanna before church one morning and ever since he had carried one in his back pocket. She feels strongly that these survivors had to have been saved by Welles.
Rinaldi does an outstanding job in relating the anguish and uncertainty Welles' parents deal with while unraveling the events occurring during the last moments of their son's life. This really is a tribute to a brave young man who literally gave his life to help others. It's heart wrenching and inspirational at the same time.
July 16, 2017
I listened to the audio version of this book read by the author. I liked the book and the writing, but I did wish that someone else had read it. The book definitely took me back to 9/11 and all the feelings that surrounded that. At the same time, it helped me to understand more fully what it was like for those who were there, whether they were victims or responders or family members. I often had tears in my eyes. The first third of the book was a bit boring for me but I know it was useful for setting up the background of the man in the red bandanna. This true story illustrates how ordinary people can do extraordinary things when they selflessly give of themselves for the benefit of others.
December 29, 2016
As some of you may know I have been touched, deeply, by the story of this brave man, the Man in the red Bandanna, since my youngest graduated from Boston College in 2010.
I have never been able to relate the story of the courage of this young man without breaking down to some degree. I received this book for Christmas and I urge all my friends to read it, to Google "The Man in the Red bandanna" ESPN short (14 min) film and to learn what Welles Remy Crowther did on that fateful Tuesday morning
I have never been able to relate the story of the courage of this young man without breaking down to some degree. I received this book for Christmas and I urge all my friends to read it, to Google "The Man in the Red bandanna" ESPN short (14 min) film and to learn what Welles Remy Crowther did on that fateful Tuesday morning
May 20, 2018
It is a great story of a great man. The problem is the writing made it very boring and took 2 pages to introduce characters that didn't add to the story. I may not have liked this book but I love Welles Crowther's story.
September 25, 2024
There’s a bit of fluff, but the real meat of it is absolutely stellar. The type of book that really can bring you to tears. It’s written in a really beautiful, powerful way. Man, what a story this guy had. And the reaction his story has gotten is America at its best. If you know nothing about this book, give it a read. It’s quick, and absolutely worthwhile.
August 4, 2019
It's taken me 18 years to be able to want to read any books about 9/11. It took me a long time to read this as I could only handle it in short doses. But it was so worth it. Well written and gave me a little more understanding.
October 22, 2020
Recently, I watched the 9/11 dedication of the beautiful tribute to those who perished in the terroristic bombing of the twin towers in New York City.
At the dedication former President Barrack Obama spoke of Wells Crowther, a young man who made the choice to help others, and lost his own life in return.
The mother of Wells Crowther spoke of her son, accompanied on the stage by a woman whose life her son saved. She was there to thank Wells mother, because she could not thank Wells.
Intrigued, I immediately bought this book.
As many of you know, Wells was a young man working on the 104th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center. When the towers were hit by planes filled with fuel which exploded when the terrorists flew planes into the high structures.
Wells called his mother to say he was ok. Then, he made an incredible choice which saved many lives, but took his life in the process.
As a little boy, Wells was drawn to fire trucks. His family had a long tradition of being fireman. One day, he noted his father's crisp white bandana displayed in his suit pocket. His father gave him two, a white one and then a red one.
Wells frequently carried the red bandanna. On the fatal day of September 11, 2001, Wells could have merely saved his own life by walking down the area he found that led to the outside of the building. Instead, Wells fearlessly acted as the rescue workers did, he stayed in the building and led many to the way out.
Carrying a fearful woman seventeen floors to safety, he went back in the building to help others. Many lives were saved by him, but sadly his young life did not make it out as the tower imploded and rapidly fell dramatically to the ground.
Many knew it was the young man who carried the red bandanna that saved their lives. Reading of the stories, his mother knew that this was her son Wells! Word quickly spread, and nationwide, people wore red bandannas to honor this brave soul.
I recently watched another youtube story of a man who gave a presentation of his day at the tower and how he survived. There was no mention of helping others, only a self serving speech of his experience. I couldn't continue to watch it, as I remembered Wells Crowther who made a choice that many did not!
However, in my judgement, I wondered if I would have been brave as Wells.
At the dedication former President Barrack Obama spoke of Wells Crowther, a young man who made the choice to help others, and lost his own life in return.
The mother of Wells Crowther spoke of her son, accompanied on the stage by a woman whose life her son saved. She was there to thank Wells mother, because she could not thank Wells.
Intrigued, I immediately bought this book.
As many of you know, Wells was a young man working on the 104th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center. When the towers were hit by planes filled with fuel which exploded when the terrorists flew planes into the high structures.
Wells called his mother to say he was ok. Then, he made an incredible choice which saved many lives, but took his life in the process.
As a little boy, Wells was drawn to fire trucks. His family had a long tradition of being fireman. One day, he noted his father's crisp white bandana displayed in his suit pocket. His father gave him two, a white one and then a red one.
Wells frequently carried the red bandanna. On the fatal day of September 11, 2001, Wells could have merely saved his own life by walking down the area he found that led to the outside of the building. Instead, Wells fearlessly acted as the rescue workers did, he stayed in the building and led many to the way out.
Carrying a fearful woman seventeen floors to safety, he went back in the building to help others. Many lives were saved by him, but sadly his young life did not make it out as the tower imploded and rapidly fell dramatically to the ground.
Many knew it was the young man who carried the red bandanna that saved their lives. Reading of the stories, his mother knew that this was her son Wells! Word quickly spread, and nationwide, people wore red bandannas to honor this brave soul.
I recently watched another youtube story of a man who gave a presentation of his day at the tower and how he survived. There was no mention of helping others, only a self serving speech of his experience. I couldn't continue to watch it, as I remembered Wells Crowther who made a choice that many did not!
However, in my judgement, I wondered if I would have been brave as Wells.
November 24, 2019
Apparently I haven't cried enough recently, so I read another book about 9/11 and the heroic actions of courageous people. This book is about Welles Crowther the man who became famous for repeatedly going back up those stairs of the South Tower of the WTC to try and save people. Even though in the chaos the people he saved did not know his name, they did remember that he wore a red bandanna over his face to protect himself from the smoke. This was a bandanna that his father gave him as a young boy and that he always carried with him, even as a trader for the investment banking firm Sandler O'Neill on the 104st floor of the World Trade Center. And it was this red bandanna that identified to the world that Welles Crowther gave his life to save others.
This is a well-written and researched book which although sad, ends up being a moving and unforgettable story of how one courageous person can make a difference and become an inspiration to people the world over.
This is a well-written and researched book which although sad, ends up being a moving and unforgettable story of how one courageous person can make a difference and become an inspiration to people the world over.
June 9, 2019
A lyrically beautiful read about a brutally devastating subject, this book is the summer reading choice for Austin Prep in both this edition as well as the YA version for the middle schoolers. It shines a light on the journey of Welles Crowther, who, at 24, made a choice to help others rather than running to his own safety during the horror of the South Tower falling on 9/11. With information compiled from many sources, including his family and friends, this book gives an unforgettable perspective on a person who was both ordinary and extraordinary, and reminds us to be the same.
January 6, 2021
It is difficult to give stars to a book about a hero. I have only read one other book about 9/11 and would love to read more to hear about the men and women who saved, survived, and/or sacrificed their lives for others so we never forget their honor and memory. I will never look at a red bandanna and not think of Welles and his selflessness to save strangers. Now I also know there is a CrossFit hero wod in his honor, The Man in the Red Bandanna, which I will have to do the next 9/11.
September 30, 2021
A beautiful rendering of a life--a short life--well and meaningfully lived that leaves a lasting legacy in its wake. Welles Crowther is an enduring example of the best of humanity as well as the best of American citizenry. A must-read for all.
Read
August 7, 2023Inspirational and heart breaking story ~ but not my favorite writing style.
April 6, 2017
Listened via audible - read by Tom Rinaldi - I just love his voice.
So, I learned about this story years and years ago from a friend who knew Wells at BC. When this friend and I traveled together to NYC, we found his name on the wall at the Trade Center Memorial and I learned a little bit more about Wells. When Tom Rinaldi came to speak at an event I was going to - I felt like I should read the book even though I thought I pretty much knew the story already.
This was a book club selection and so I don't want to discuss much here - but I will say I had a hard time reading this book. Its one thing to watch the ESPN segment or learn about the story from a friend - and its another to read an entire book on one person. While there is nothing negative I can say about the book - I couldn't help but wonder about all the other people on 9/11 who helped people but don't have a book written about them. What about the strange man that helped people in the towers but wasn't wearing a red bandanna and died with no one ever knowing who he was? Is that weird to think? I read books about heroes all the time...but for some reason this book kept making me have that thought.
I think its partly due to the fact that Tom Rinaldi is a great story teller. He has this voice that can make the simplest story seem like such an epic one. He could probably read the book about The Three Little Pigs and make the wolf sound like Satan's brother and the smartest pig a Nobel Peace Prize winner. :)
Anyway - if you don't want to invest in reading the book - then at least google the story and watch the 14 minute ESPN segment. Its a story worth knowing.
So, I learned about this story years and years ago from a friend who knew Wells at BC. When this friend and I traveled together to NYC, we found his name on the wall at the Trade Center Memorial and I learned a little bit more about Wells. When Tom Rinaldi came to speak at an event I was going to - I felt like I should read the book even though I thought I pretty much knew the story already.
This was a book club selection and so I don't want to discuss much here - but I will say I had a hard time reading this book. Its one thing to watch the ESPN segment or learn about the story from a friend - and its another to read an entire book on one person. While there is nothing negative I can say about the book - I couldn't help but wonder about all the other people on 9/11 who helped people but don't have a book written about them. What about the strange man that helped people in the towers but wasn't wearing a red bandanna and died with no one ever knowing who he was? Is that weird to think? I read books about heroes all the time...but for some reason this book kept making me have that thought.
I think its partly due to the fact that Tom Rinaldi is a great story teller. He has this voice that can make the simplest story seem like such an epic one. He could probably read the book about The Three Little Pigs and make the wolf sound like Satan's brother and the smartest pig a Nobel Peace Prize winner. :)
Anyway - if you don't want to invest in reading the book - then at least google the story and watch the 14 minute ESPN segment. Its a story worth knowing.
August 2, 2017
Summary: Welles Crowther was a recent college graduate working in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. He spent the final minutes of his life saving others from the World Trade Center, sacrificing his own in the process.
Appeal: I rarely come across a book that reads this smoothly for young readers in concept, execution, and writing style. The story is compelling and the writing is brisk. I can totally tell that Tom Rinaldi is used to writing and working on TV, because he’s careful about where he spends his words and thoughtful about the words he spends in a way that broadcasters tend to be for a casual viewing audience. 150 pages with breathable text.
To be honest I wanted a little more description of what was going on inside the towers, but I guess that Penguin is pitching this one as ages 10 and up, so the disaster scenes are brief and the most visceral details are left out.
Possible issues with comprehension: Rinaldi writes in vignettes with a lot of passage breaks. Developing readers may like this style, because one vignette is loosely connected to the next. The end of the story gets a little bogged down with details about how Welles’s story spread, and readers need to realize that the prologue begins well after the 9/11 attacks.
Recommended for: Highly recommended as a purchase for upper elementary on through high school. This is a perfect example of narrative nonfiction done right!
Release date September 5, 2017
Reviewed from an Advance Readers Copy
Appeal: I rarely come across a book that reads this smoothly for young readers in concept, execution, and writing style. The story is compelling and the writing is brisk. I can totally tell that Tom Rinaldi is used to writing and working on TV, because he’s careful about where he spends his words and thoughtful about the words he spends in a way that broadcasters tend to be for a casual viewing audience. 150 pages with breathable text.
To be honest I wanted a little more description of what was going on inside the towers, but I guess that Penguin is pitching this one as ages 10 and up, so the disaster scenes are brief and the most visceral details are left out.
Possible issues with comprehension: Rinaldi writes in vignettes with a lot of passage breaks. Developing readers may like this style, because one vignette is loosely connected to the next. The end of the story gets a little bogged down with details about how Welles’s story spread, and readers need to realize that the prologue begins well after the 9/11 attacks.
Recommended for: Highly recommended as a purchase for upper elementary on through high school. This is a perfect example of narrative nonfiction done right!
Release date September 5, 2017
Reviewed from an Advance Readers Copy
October 15, 2021
Rated PG: e-book
My rating is strictly on the quality of writing, and not the five star amazing story of Welles Crowther, a young man with a servant’s heart and the ultimate example of John 15:13:
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”
And even for strangers!! Welles was an average and yet phenomenal young man. To think he so easily could have survived and yet his desire was to help others live.
I feel like there were so many gems to mine in this story and the opportunity to portray the powerful miracles & sacrifice, yet this particular book did not reach its full potential based on the phenomenal story.
So thankful to the family for sharing this experience. One interesting aspect was in 2001 and 2002 people couldn’t text someone a picture or email pictures as easily as we can today, so those kinds of things took time before they could identify Welles and tie the various stories to the young man with the red bandanna.
My rating is strictly on the quality of writing, and not the five star amazing story of Welles Crowther, a young man with a servant’s heart and the ultimate example of John 15:13:
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”
And even for strangers!! Welles was an average and yet phenomenal young man. To think he so easily could have survived and yet his desire was to help others live.
I feel like there were so many gems to mine in this story and the opportunity to portray the powerful miracles & sacrifice, yet this particular book did not reach its full potential based on the phenomenal story.
So thankful to the family for sharing this experience. One interesting aspect was in 2001 and 2002 people couldn’t text someone a picture or email pictures as easily as we can today, so those kinds of things took time before they could identify Welles and tie the various stories to the young man with the red bandanna.
September 8, 2017
I needed an easy read on the plane type of story (and yes, I realize the weirdness of reading a book about September 11 while flying on a plane) and this book fit the bill. It talks about Welles and who he was in his short 24 years on earth and then it goes into the people, community and events that occurred after his death. I will admit that sometimes the author talked a lot about people that didn't have any interaction with Welles (mostly people working on the other floors of the South Tower) but other than that small quibble, I really enjoyed this book. It left me pondering what type of person I want to be during my final moments on earth. I hope I can be like Welles, helping others if I can.
October 16, 2016
This book is a narrative of the life of Welles Crowther. Welles was only 24 when he lost his life in the attacks on the World Trade Center on 9/11. His though is an inspirational story of someone who sacrificed himself to save others. Forever remembered as the man who wore the "red bandana" as he helped rescue many from his building. A worthwhile read and a story to pass along for others to learn from.
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