By Matthew Weiss, EO South Florida

I have been an EOer since 1996, but it wasn’t until five years ago that I discovered just how valuable my EO training could be. I had lunch with my banker, Jeff Crowther, who shared the powerful story of his son, Welles, a 9/11 victim. Jeff explained that, eight months after Welles died, his story of courage, strength and sacrifice became known due to a single, ordinary object— a red bandana.

In May 2002, The New York Times published an article about two survivors who were saved by a man wearing a red bandana. When the Crowthers read this, they knew they had “found” Welles. You see, when Welles was six, Jeff gave him a red bandana that would become his signature trademark. Upon learning of his heroics, I was amazed by Welles’s bravery (he saved at least 10 people), the way the “red bandana” revelation changed the family’s perspective on their loss and the legacy that was created by thousands who honor Welles in different ways.