Jefferson Crowther, Father Of 9/11 'Red Bandana' Hero Welles, Dies

BOSTON (CBS) – Jefferson Crowther, the father of the 9/11 hero known as "The Man In The Red Bandana," has died at 73 years old. His wife Alison told lohud.com the cause was prostate cancer.

Crowther's son, Welles, was a former Boston College lacrosse player who died in the terrorist attacks. The 24-year-old equities trader saved several people from the South Tower of the World Trade Center before the building collapsed.

Jefferson Crowther gave his son his signature red bandana when he was a boy, and he carried it with him wherever he went. Multiple survivors remembered being led to safety by a man with the red bandana covering his nose and mouth.

Crowther's parents have worked to keep their son's memory alive through a charity that benefits young people. A documentary about Welles' heroics called "Man In Red Bandana" was released in 2017 and an ESPN tribute to him has more than 1.4 million views.

"Jeff was a wonderful human being who delighted all of us in the BC community whenever he was on campus," B.C. spokesman Jack Dunn told The Heights student newspaper. "He endured the tragedy of losing his only son to the most horrific act of hate, and then the joy of seeing what a heroic inspiration he became to people from all over the world."

Boston College has held an annual "red bandana" football game to pay tribute to the Crowther family.