Every year since 2014, Boston College has hosted a Red Bandana game on their football schedule to honor the heroic acts of BC graduate and lacrosse player Welles Crowther. Welles was a volunteer firefighter in his hometown in upstate New York. But, in 2001 he was working as a stock trader in the World Trade Center’s South Tower. When a plane struck the South Tower around twenty floors below where Welles was working on the 104th floor, Welles put on his red bandana, a gift from his father that he carried with him everywhere, and used it to cover his mouth from the smoke as he escorted people safely downstairs.
Welles escorted countless people downstairs, saving their lives while wearing his red bandana. He even made multiple trips back upstairs to help save more people. After the collapse of the tower, his body was found on the ground floor near the exit, but he chose to stay inside and help save others’ lives with the option of fleeing to safety right in front of him. Following the attacks, Welles’s grieving mother, Alison Crowther, was researching some stories of 9/11 survivors, and she found multiple people mentioning that a man wearing a red bandana guided them to safety and saved their life. Alison immediately knew it was her son. Now, she tells Welles’s story of the American hero. Later, Boston college hosted their first Red Bandana Football game.
Regardless of the success of the football team, the Red Bandana game always means something more than football. Crowds often sell out and the stadium is full with emotion. The players also wear Red Bandana themed uniforms with the text “For Welles” where their last names usually go. This year, with the game falling on the 25th anniversary of the attacks on 9/11, the game had even more meaning behind it. From the hours of fans tailgating before the game to the fireworks going off at the end, everyone in the stands and on the field could sense the positive atmosphere. Will Manning, a junior at the high school who was in attendance Friday night, described the game as “a great way to honor someone who gave their life to help others” and “a reminder that we need to continue to remember and honor everyone who lost their life during the terrorist attacks of 9/11.”
Caroline Cusick, a member of the Boston College Pom team who was on the field dancing the entire game, explained, “The atmosphere was incredible. There was so much genuine energy and excitement from the crowd you could feel how everyone there was invested, not just in the game, but in something bigger than just football.” Being on the sidelines cheering the entire game, she had a similar perspective to the players on how they could feel the energy the stadium brought. With all of the students in the student section waving red bandanas in the air in honor of Welles, it was easy to see how this game was bigger than just football.
After forcing a quick fourth down stop on defense, BC opened the scoring quickly with a 19 yard rushing touchdown. A 19 yard touchdown would be a big play in any game, but there was added significance given that while playing lacrosse at BC, Welles wore number 19. That is evidence of never forgetting the horrific attacks of 9/11 and Welles’s heroism. After this score, BC continued to look good on offense and defense, as they entered halftime with a 20-7 lead.
At halftime, BC ran a drone show, as light-up drones flew over the stadium displaying messages like “Never Forget,” “For Welles,” and “Red Bandana.” While this was happening, the whole stadium stood and watched the drone show, and some fans even attempted to start “U-S-A” chants in honor of Welles, a true American hero. After halftime, BC struggled a little bit and Rutgers was able to cut the lead down to six late in the game, but some big defensive plays led them to a 28-21 victory.
After the win, fireworks went off from the roof of the stadium and the players celebrated on the field. The team even invited Welles’s mother, Alison, into the locker room for the post-game celebrations. While in there, she broke the team down with “1-2-3, For Welles!”
The Red Bandana game will forever serve as a tribute to the bravery and heroism of Welles Crowther. And, it was even better that BC got their first win of the season in Welles’s honor.
