Photo: Getty Images North America
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Fans carrying red bandanas filled Alumni Stadium for an annual football game honoring a fallen hero Saturday.
The Boston College Eagles have held the "Red Bandana Game" every year around Sept. 11 since 2014. The game is in memory of former BC lacrosse player Welles Crowther, who died rescuing people in the South Tower of the World Trade Center during 9/11. Crowther was wearing his signature red bandana at the time.
As many as a dozen survivors credited Crowther with saving their lives. During the dedication ceremony of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in 2014, former President Barack Obama opened his speech by retelling Crowther's story.
"He called for fire extinguishers to fight back the flames," Obama said. "He tended to the wounded. He led those survivors down the stairs to safety, and carried a woman on his shoulders down 17 flights. Then he went back. Back up all those flights. Then back down again, bringing more wounded to safety. Until that moment when the tower fell. They didn't know his name. They didn't know where he came from. But they knew their lives had been saved by the man in the red bandana."
Eagles players wore special bandana-trimmed uniforms for this year's game against the Florida State Seminoles.
"We’re gonna make sure no American ever forgets what he did," said John, who wore a red bandana around his neck.
"They pick the red bandana game every year, and when that happens we all try to come out and honor him, and everyone tries to show their support in a similar way, and the red bandana is the way to do that," said Claire, who wore the bandana on her arm.
The Seminoles defeated the Eagles 31-29.
WBZ's Emma Friedman (@EmmaFriedmanWBZ) reports.
Follow WBZ NewsRadio: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | iHeartmedia App | TikTok