The Red Bandanna

A Life. A Choice. A Legacy.

By: Tom Rinaldi

Narrated by: Tom Rinaldi

A New York Times bestseller

What would you do in the last hour of your life?

The story of Welles Crowther, whose actions on 9/11 offer a lasting lesson on character, calling and courage

One Sunday morning before church, when Welles Crowther was a young boy, his father gave him a red handkerchief for his back pocket. Welles kept it with him that day, and just about every day to come; it became a fixture and his signature.

A standout athlete growing up in Upper Nyack, NY, Welles was also a volunteer at the local fire department, along with his father. He cherished the necessity and the camaraderie, the meaning of the role. Fresh from college, he took a Wall Street job on the 104th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center, but the dream of becoming a firefighter with the FDNY remained.

When the Twin Towers fell, Welles’s parents had no idea what happened to him. In the unbearable days that followed, they came to accept that he would never come home. But the mystery of his final hours persisted. Eight months after the attacks, however, Welles’s mother read a news account from several survivors, badly hurt on the 78th floor of the South Tower, who said they and others had been led to safety by a stranger, carrying a woman on his back, down nearly twenty flights of stairs. After leading them down, the young man turned around. “I’m going back up,” was all he said.

The survivors didn’t know his name, but despite the smoke and panic, one of them remembered a single detail clearly: the man was wearing a red bandanna.

Tom Rinaldi’s The Red Bandanna is about a fearless choice, about a crucible of terror and the indomitable spirit to answer it. Examining one decision in the gravest situation, it celebrates the difference one life can make.

Extraordinary

I am emotionally spent. The Red Bandanna tells the behind the scenes story of a young man that left an extraordinary "forever" legacy.

I wish there were 10 STARS.

Beautiful heartwarming story

I think everyone should read/listen to this. What a loving tribute to a great young man.

a must read

Takethe time, Make the time to listen to this book. You won't just be inspired, you will be FULL.

Praise God.

Praise God for this story.
Praise God for Wells, who showed God s love to us all through actions. Self less action.
Amazing .

Incredibly Inspiring

The narrator’s voice intoned every chapter perfectly. Wells’ story is now out there and will continue to spread to all ages. Thank you to everyone who made this book possible from the author to the parents of such a selfless young man.