BC honors Crowther on 25th anniversary of 9/11 with annual Red Bandanna Game — SkimNews
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- Boston College hosted Rutgers in its annual Red Bandanna Game on the 25th anniversary of 9/11, honoring Welles Crowther, a BC lacrosse alum who died rescuing more than a dozen people from the South Tower of the World Trade Center while wearing his trademark red bandanna
- Welles Crowther was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Trump on Tuesday, as noted in the source, with BC coach Bill O'Brien calling him 'incredibly important' to the school's identity
- Mason McKenzie threw a 78-yard touchdown pass and ran for another score to lead Boston College to a 28-21 win, lifting the Eagles to 1-1 on the season
- Boston College's uniforms featured bandanna paisley patterns and read 'FOR WELLES' in place of players' names, while Rutgers wore pants reading 'Never Forget' and helmets honoring 37 Rutgers alumni killed on 9/11
- Twenty-two BC alumni died in the September 11 attacks, with their names listed in the outer ring of an on-campus memorial; the Red Bandanna Game tradition has been held annually since September 13, 2014
- Welles' mother Alison Crowther, speaking on the field before kickoff, said she hoped attendees would take away 'the power they have in each and every one of them to bring good into the world'
Why it matters: The Red Bandanna Game has become one of college football's most entrenched 9/11 memorial traditions, now spanning 25 years and 11 annual editions since 2014 — and the federal recognition of Crowther's actions this week, 25 years after his death, cements his story in the national canon alongside other first responders honored at Ground Zero.
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