The Red Bandanna

Published in 2016, the New York Times bestseller The Red Bandanna, by Tom Rinaldi, tells a tale of heroism during 9/11. Its pages detail a heartwarming and heartbreaking story of one man’s journey from youth to his last few hours, when, at the cost of his own life, he rescues many people from the World Trade Center attack. Rinaldi, a journalist, sports reporter, and producer at ESPN, wrote the book after working on a film documentary about the hero, Welles Crowther.

The Red Bandanna is arranged into three chapters, each tackling a different part of the life Welles. Chapter 1 describes Welles’s upbringing; Chapter 2 details what he does on 9/11; Chapter 3 presents the efforts of his family and others to honor Welles’s heroism and his memory.

Chapter 1 describes Welles’s typical suburban-American childhood in upstate New York, filled with sports, friends, and school. His father, Jeff, is a volunteer fireman; from a young age, Welles haunts the firehouse, helping out where he can. Jeff gives his son a red handkerchief, which Welles thereafter always keeps with him.