“In life, find what you enjoy and take it with full force.” – Alison Crowther
On Wednesday, Oct. 25, Brother Martin High School hosted a Great Read Assembly for the Brother Martin community. This year, the book selected was The Red Bandanna by ESPN Correspondent Tom Rinaldi. Rinaldi tells the story of Welles Crowther and his heroic actions stemming from the terrorist attacks in New York on September 11, 2001. Welles’s heroism and selflessness captured the hearts of many people worldwide when he helped as many as eighteen individuals who were trapped in the South Tower of the World Trade Center. While his sacrifice ensured the safety of others, Welles himself did not survive the attacks.
Mrs. Alison Crowther, Welles’s mother, was welcomed to campus to address the student body about her son, Welles Crowther. Jackson Vicknair ’18 welcomed guests along with Religion Department Chair Mr. Jerry Ursin. Mrs. Crowther started the assembly with a video documentary and discussed her son’s legacy of service and leadership. Since he was a young child, Welles always carried with him a red bandanna, which was given to him by his father. While this bandanna was seemingly an ordinary object, it later came to be sign of hope and life for victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack.
Mrs. Crowther commented that “when something devastating happens, then don’t let it defeat you.”
She spoke to the students about life after the death of Welles, describing him as a young man full of life who always shared his spirit with others. Not only he was an equities trader, but he was also a volunteer firefighter who loved helping others. He loved being part of a team, according to his mother. Alison reflected on Welles’s view of teamwork, saying, “[Welles told me that] all differences disappear, and we are a family working towards a common goal.” Alison impressed upon our Crusader students that there are moments every day in which we can all be leaders, show kindness, and work to understand one another through communication.
A panel of students consisting of Connor Blenkarn ’20, Gannon Blackledge ’19, Alex Rupp ’20, Barry Brue ’19, Cody Clement ’22, Andrew Butler ’18 and Blair Anderson ’19 then led a Question & Answer panel. Later, Student Council President Colby Coulon ’18 presented a gift to Mrs. Crowther, which was met with a standing ovation from students, faculty, and staff. Principal Ryan Gallagher ‘00 also made a few remarks about how this story relates to our personal lives, the lives of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, and our lives as a Brother Martin school community.
Mrs. Crowther ended her address telling the Crusaders to “get out there in the world and be the good story and the change!”
