College Football Game Dedicated to 9/11 Hero

The red bandana belonging to 9/11 victim Welles Crowther is displayed on a white surface at the Museum.
Boston College dedicated its football game against USC to Welles Crowther, who saved numerous lives during 9/11 while wearing a red bandanna like this one. (Photo: Matt Flynn)

Emotions ran high when Boston College (BC) upset the No. 9 University of Southern California last Saturday in college football. BC dedicated the game to Welles Crowther, a former Eagles lacrosse player who died helping save numerous lives at the World Trade Center on 9/11.

Crowther has been referred to as “the Man in the Red Bandanna.” According to eyewitness accounts, that’s what he was wearing around his nose and mouth as he calmly organized and led rescue efforts in the south tower on Sept. 11, 2001.

His parents received the game ball after the match, during which fans donned red bandannas and special uniforms with red bandanna accents on their cleats, helmets and gloves. The Eagles also watched a documentary on Crowther's life.

After the game, Crowther’s parents spoke to the team and then received a pair of cleats from BC cornerback Manny Asprilla.

“I just shook [Crowther’s father’s] hand and gave him the cleats,” Asprilla told ESPNBoston.com. “He was surprised at first, like ‘Oh, this is for me?’ I said ‘Yeah,’ shook his hand and then I went to his wife and did the same, shook her hand.”

Read more here.

By Jordan Friedman, 9/11 Memorial Research and Digital Projects Associate

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