25th Remembrance of 9/11
Most of our student body was not yet born when the Pentagon and World Trade Center were attacked on a sunny Tuesday morning twenty-five years ago.
For many now, so many years later, it is a pivotal point in history; for so many others,
it is a memory burned into us, a life before and after those events. It is why we,
as a nation, come together to pay our respects and remember those who lost their lives
that day. There are many stories of that morning, from those who witnessed and lived
through it on the ground in New York and D.C., and those who watched through television
or through stories about loved ones lost. While this was a tragedy on an epic scale,
it is the stories of individuals that have become the touchstone for many. From the
emergency services that showed us what true sacrifice means, to everyday individuals
who risked their own lives to help others. To remember and celebrate those who showed
us the best in the worst circumstances is how so many have chosen to remember that
day.
One of those individuals who showed us their best was "The Man in the Red Bandana."
Later identified as Welles Crowther. He was like many of the students here at Washington
College; he played lacrosse and majored in economics at Boston College. Welles was
also a volunteer firefighter with hopes of one day either joining the FDNY or working
for the FBI. He always carried a red bandana like his father. He worked on the 104th floor of the South Tower. On that morning, after the South Tower was hit, he called
his mother for the last time. Then he put his red bandana around his mouth to protect
himself from the smoke and began to help those around him. He performed first aid
and helped others to safety. He was heard to say,
“Everyone who can stand, stand now. If you can help others, do so.”
He was last seen returning to the stairs alongside the FDNY when the tower collapsed.
There are so many stories like Welles- those who, in our darkest hour, became the
citizen leaders we all hope to be. On this day, we remember them and hope to live
up to their sacrifices.
