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Trump Presents Posthumous Medal of Freedom to 9/11 Hero Welles Crowther
9/8/2026, 10:16:49 PM
Presidential Medal of Freedom Awarded to a 9/11 Volunteer Firefighter
President Donald Trump posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Welles Crowther, the “man in the red bandana” whose actions on September 11 saved as many as 18 lives. The ceremony took place during the Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s “Steel Across America” event in Washington, D.C., where a 16,900-lb steel beam recovered from the World Trade Center’s South Tower was on display. Crowther’s mother, Alison Crowther, accepted the medal on his behalf.
Crowther’s Actions on September 11
Crowther, a 24-year-old equities trader and volunteer firefighter with Empire Hook & Ladder Co. #1 in Upper Nyack, was on the 104th floor of the South Tower when the planes struck. He descended to the 78th-floor sky lobby, found a surviving stairwell opening, and repeatedly led trapped occupants down the hazardous passage, directing survivors and carrying those who could not walk. Survivors later recalled his command, “follow me,” which they obeyed as smoke and fire filled the tower.
Official Statements & Responses
Alison Crowther emphasized that Crowther’s training as a volunteer firefighter enabled his actions and expressed gratitude that his story continues to inspire.
Verbatim Quotes
- “He's the man in the red bandana. He had found the only stairwell that barely survived. The stairwells were all knocked down. You couldn't get by. Impassable. He found an opening in one of the stairwells, and the impact was so great there was no other way down but this one little opening, this one little hole. And [he] traveled down from the 104th floor to look for those trapped and dying,” — Donald Trump, president
- “Today, in honor of his incredible bravery and all of the other countless unknown acts of heroism that day, it is my privilege to award the very special, the highest honor that we give, the highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. We want to award that to Welles and the Welles family. Welles is up there looking down at his mom and his sister, his family,” — Donald Trump, president
- “That Welles' light still shines brilliantly today, even after 25 years, is testament to his legacy of courage, compassion and love for humanity that continues to inspire and uplift others,” — Alison Crowther, the president
Legacy and Ongoing Impact
Twenty-five years after the attacks, Crowther’s legacy endures through the Red Bandanna Project, which teaches social-emotional skills to thousands of students worldwide. Alison Crowther said his story “encompasses the spectrum” and that “people are still loving him,” reflecting the lasting resonance of his courage across generations.
