"Welles... would not have been able to do what he did as effectively on 9/11 if it had not been for the training and experience he gained as a member of Empire Hook and Ladder Company Number One of Upper Nyack," she said.
Crowther, as Empire Hook and Ladder Company Number One president David "Trevor" Gottlieb explained to Fox News Digital, was forged in the volunteer firehouse's traditions of community and sacrifice.
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"I joined in '88, he was five years younger than me so probably '93 is when he first started," Gottlieb told Fox News Digital.
In the 25 years since the terrorist attacks on 9/11, has become something of a legend. Known as the "man in the red bandana," Crowther carried a red bandana on his wallet while working as a stockbroker in the South Tower. When the attack struck, he immediately leapt to action, helping usher people to safety as the building burned around him.
"Welles Crowther was in the towers. He was working for a trading firm that day. And he assisted with the rescue of at least 18, I think was the final count they got. Eighteen civilians that he helped lead to safety and ultimately lost his life doing that," Gottlieb said.
"I think what Welles' impression he left upon us was anything's possible. And when you're faced with, you know, 108 floors and the chaos and the destruction all around you, when you sit back and rely on your training, on how you were brought up, I think that makes your job much easier," he continued.
"This fire company is stocked with great people. We have five generations, some of the families go back in this company. And it's great to see the pride, the dedication, commitment to a community that exists when you have such a special place like this," he said.
Crowther's ultimate sacrifice was indicative not only of his upbringing in Empire Hook and Ladder, but of the spirit that inhabits all volunteer firefighters, Gottlieb argued.
"We are here to step up in the times that probably matter most and be part of something much bigger than ourselves," he added. "And when you learn to set that aside and you learn to live with those kinds of principles, I think it makes this job much easier because you know that. Know, the guy next to you, the girl next to has your back and I have their back. "
Gottlieb also pointed to two of Empire's other fallen firefighters, Harry Wannamaker Jr. and Joe Stach Jr., who he said both lost their lives due to health complications related to 9/11.
"We should never forget. We should never forget the sacrifice that everybody made, in particular Welles. But there was 343 other firemen that died. And then since that time, we've lost two more members in empire related to 9/11 diseases, Harry Wanamaker Jr. and Joe Stach Jr. And it's awful to see the scars that it leaves on families forever," he said.
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