A Red Bandana UKNIGHTS a Stadium

On September 10, 2011, Boston College came to UCF looking to play a competitive game of football; what happened at the game UKNIGHTED both teams.

Ten years have passed since the tragic, unforgettable day which was September 11, 2001. Many of us watched as this horrific scene hypnotized our bodies. We wondered, how could such a thing be happening? What is happening inside the towers? Can the people get out? Basically, anything and everything was running through the minds of Americans watching this disaster. Watching the aftermath of this event is when most people learned of the heroic deeds and people who saved lives, but couldn’t make it out themselves. One of those heroes is Welles Crowther.

Welles Crowther grew up in New York, and when he was 6 years old, his father handed him a red handkerchief to carry around if he ever needed to blow his nose. Throughout the years, Crowther always carried around a red hanky and it soon became his trademark. He played many sports in his high school years, and went on to play Division 1 Lacrosse at Boston College. He graduated in 1999 and got a job as an equities trader on the 104^th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center. After a couple years of his career, he decided he wasn’t happy as an equities trader and wanted to become a firefighter.

On September 11, 2001 Welles Crowther saved 12 people from the 78^th floor of the South Tower. He went up to save more, and that was the first and last time he was seen by the survivors he helped. His remains were found, and about a year later, some survivors were interviewed about their experience that day. Two of the survivors recalled their hero wearing a red bandana. When Welles Crowther’s mother read that, she went on to send a photo of Welles to the two survivors, and they confirmed he was their hero; his mother suddenly found peace. Throughout the last couple of years, Boston College has been carrying the red bandana tradition. They host their own Red Bandana Run, and at sporting events fans and players sport a red bandana in honor of their courageous alumni.

Since it was the weekend of the 10-year anniversary of September 11^th and Boston College was coming to UCF to play football, Boston College invited us to join their remembrance of Welles Crowther. All they wanted us to do was sport a red bandana. UCF respected BC’s wishes, and most people tailgating or at the game were wearing some sort of red on their clothing. Bookstores around the UCF Campus were selling red bandanas, SGA in the union were selling them for a charity, and Domino’s Pizza on campus was giving them out for free. During the game, Crowther’s sisters came out on the field and it became a beautiful scene of red bandanas spiraling in the night sky by a full stadium. No matter what jersey you had on, or what team you were rooting for, we all UKNIGHTED at the game to remember Welles Crowther and all of the other victims and families who were affected by the events of September 11^th.