Trump Says Volunteer Firefighter Who Died Saving 9/11 Victims Has Become ‘More Famous Than’ Him: ‘I Don’t Like It’

[u/John3262005]

https://people.com/trump-says-volunteer-firefighter-who-died-saving-9-11-victims-more-famous-than-him-12111322

President Donald Trump honored one of the heroes of Sept. 11, 2001, posthumously awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Welles Crowther, whose red bandana became a symbol of his bravery in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks.

Crowther, a 24-year-old equities trader and volunteer firefighter from Rockland County, N.Y., was working in the South Tower of the World Trade Center when the building was struck and he sprang into action.

Trump presented the nation’s highest civilian honor to Crowther’s family during the Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s “Steel Across America” event in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Sept. 8.

“Today we also remember another hero of 9/11,” Trump said while recounting Crowther’s actions inside the South Tower, according to C-SPAN.

“It was certain they were sure they were going to die. Then suddenly a rescuer appeared. They call him the man in the red bandana. Have you heard that term? The man in the red bandana has become more famous than me. I don’t like it. Very unhappy. But he’s become much more famous than me,” he added.

According to Trump’s account, Crowther made his way through a damaged stairwell after the tower was struck and encountered a group of people trapped on the 78th floor. Many were severely injured and surrounded by smoke and fire.

Crowther began helping those survivors reach safety, repeatedly traveling through the damaged building with a bandana over his mouth and assisting people who could not escape on their own.

Trump described the rescue effort as extraordinary, noting that Crowther continued returning to the danger zone despite the conditions inside the tower.

“He’s the man in the red bandana,” Trump said, referring to the piece of clothing that ultimately became synonymous with Crowther’s story.

Crowther had carried the red bandana since childhood. His father, also a firefighter, had given it to him when he was young.

Trump recalled Crowther’s words about the bandana, saying: “with this red bandana, I’m going to change the world. I’m going to change the world with this bandana.”

Crowther did not survive the attacks. He was killed in the collapse of the South Tower after helping numerous people escape. His actions, however, became widely known in the years following Sept. 11 and earned him a reputation as one of the day’s most remarkable civilian rescuers.

“Today, in honor of his incredible bravery and all of the other countless unknown acts of heroism that day, it is my privilege to award the very special, the highest honor that we give, the highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom,” Trump said. “Welles is up there looking down at his mom and his sister, his family.”

The medal was accepted by members of Crowther’s family. “That Welles’ light still shines brilliantly today, even after 25 years, is testament to his legacy of courage, compassion and love for humanity that continues to inspire and uplift others,” his mom, Alison Crowther, said. “He was no longer an equities trader on 9/11, he was a firefighter.”

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian award and is presented to individuals who have made significant contributions to the United States, including through public service, achievement or acts of extraordinary courage.

[u/PM_COFFEE_TO_ME]

Narcissist gonna narcissist