(Photo by Andrew Harnik\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nCrowther was working in the South Tower of the World Trade Center when the attacks began. Using a red bandana he had carried since childhood to cover his mouth from the smoke, he repeatedly entered dangerous areas of the building to help people escape.<\/p>\n
At least 18 people are credited with surviving because of Crowther\u2019s actions. He ultimately died when the South Tower collapsed.<\/p>\n
So, understandably, Trump wanted to tell Crowther\u2019s story.<\/p>\n
And then came the part nobody really needed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe man in the red bandana has become more famous than me,\u201d Trump said during the ceremony. \u201cI don\u2019t like it. Very unhappy. But he\u2019s become much more famous than me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yes, that really was Trump\u2019s contribution to a tribute honoring a man who gave his life rescuing strangers.<\/p>\n
The president\u2019s comments were widely criticized online, with many people noting that a 9\/11 memorial probably wasn\u2019t the ideal setting for a discussion of Trump\u2019s own celebrity status.<\/p>\n
\nTo be fair, Trump did spend much of the speech praising Crowther\u2019s bravery.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s the man in the red bandana,\u201d Trump said, recounting how Crowther moved through the damaged tower to rescue people who were trapped and injured.<\/p>\n
Crowther\u2019s family has spent years preserving his legacy. His mother, Alison Crowther, said during the ceremony that her son\u2019s story continues to inspire people 25 years after his death.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat Welles\u2019 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,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The ceremony came just days before the 25th anniversary of the 9\/11 attacks, when Americans across the country are once again remembering the nearly 3,000 people who were killed.<\/p>\n
Trump also made controversial claims<\/a> during the ceremony about his own actions in the aftermath of the attacks, saying he brought construction workers to Ground Zero to help. Those claims have previously been disputed for lack of evidence.<\/p>\nBut the central story of the ceremony was supposed to be Crowther.<\/p>\n
And unlike the president, Crowther apparently had no interest in being the most famous person in the room.<\/p>\n
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