On September 11, 2001 a man named Welles R. Crowther, a former Boston College athlete, transformed into a hero after saving countless lives during the World Trade Center attacks.
Crowther continuously went back to the higher floors of the WTC, using a red bandanna to cover and protect his face, in order to help rescue others.
Crowther lost his life that day, but has and always will be remembered as a hero.
On September 4, 2011 ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” aired a touching video on Crowther.
That same day, UCF students Garrett Weiss and Neal Surrena came up with the idea to create a Facebook event page and promote to students to wear a red bandanna on September 10th when the Knights face off against Boston College.
“I and so many were truly touched by the story and I knew we had to get this out there,” said Weiss. “Even though we are foes on the football field, I was hoping that not just UCF fans unite, but that also BC fans unite with us, that all football fans unite, that all Americans unite, so that we remember heros like Crowther.”
The Facebook event page has now reached close to 1,500 people who have agreed to attend the game wearing red bandannas.
“I just think it’s a really class move on the fans part to put the remembrance of a 9/11 hero above the football game,” said UCF Alumnus Erik Deupree. “I think it’s even more impressive that it was started by the fans, not the school (although hopefully they become involved) and the rapid response has been amazing.”
The UCF event has certainly gone viral and Deupree hopes that with ESPN and the Orlando Sentinel taking note of it, that this will increase the amount of people who participate.
“Having lost a family member in the WTC during the September 11 terrorist attacks, I find that wearing red bandanna is not only the perfect tribute to Welles, but the bandanna will also be able to represent the thousands of other individuals who lost their live in the September 11 attacks,” said UCF junior Dominique Torsiello. “It truly is a great day to be a Knight.”
