SILVER SPRING, Md., Sept. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- American Heroes Channel (AHC) will partner with Boston College (BC) to present the inaugural Red Bandanna Hero Award. Inspired by BC alumni Welles R. Crowther, AHC and the Welles Remy Crowther Charitable Trust created the award to acknowledge the ultimate, everyday hero who exemplifies the American spirit and defines us as a nation. Also known as "The Man in the Red Bandanna," Crowther saved as many as 12 people, according to survivor accounts, following the attacks on the World Trade Center. Paying tribute to Crowther's intrepid actions on September 11, 2001, the first-ever Red Bandanna Hero Award winner is Minneapolis firefighter Jake LaFerriere, who will be honored during the nationally televised BC football game on Friday, September 18 at 8PM ET on ESPN.
On July 3, 2010, Laferriere suffered third and fourth degree burns in a backdraft explosion while battling a house fire. While being treated at the hospital for his burns, LaFerriere met several young children in the burn unit, each undergoing painful treatments for their own burn injuries. Inspired by their resilience at such a young age, LaFerriere founded Firefighters for Healing, a non-profit organization whose mission is to support young burn survivors and their families in ways that insurance companies and caretakers are unable to.
As the Red Bandanna Hero Award winner, LaFerriere will receive a $10,000 donation to the charitable organization of his choosing, and will join the Crowther family at BC's annual Red Bandanna Game which takes place around the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Boston College initiated the Red Bandanna Game to honor Crowther, who played lacrosse for the university and wore a red bandanna under his helmet. LaFerriere will also be featured in an AHC "Hero Moment" video, which will be aired on the network and available online at ahctv.com.
About American Heroes Channel
American Heroes Channel (AHC) is a network from Discovery Communications that tells timeless stories in which a challenge appears – be it a situation or a villain – and a hero arises. Currently in 60 million homes, AHC provides a rare glimpse into major events that shaped our world, visionary leaders and unexpected heroes who made a difference, and the great defenders of our freedom. For more information, please visit AHCtv.com, facebook.com/AHCtelevision, or Twitter.com/AHC_TV . American Heroes Channel is part of Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the world's #1 pay-tv programmer reaching nearly 3 billion cumulative subscribers in 220 countries and territories.
About Boston College
Boston College is a Jesuit Catholic institution located in Chestnut Hill, Mass., with a coeducational enrollment of nearly 14,700 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries. More than 750 male and female student-athletes compete in 31 varsity sports at the NCAA Division I level, the most sports offerings of any institution in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
About Firefighters for Healing
Firefighters for Healing is a non-profit organization founded in 2010 by Minneapolis firemen who tragically experienced firsthand what burn victims endure. Our mission is to support burn survivors and their families in ways insurance companies and caretakers are unable to. With donor and community help, we are able to replace some of the essential living items when all has been lost in a fire, contribute financial assistance for corrective surgeries, support summer camp attendance for burn injured youth, donate to local hospital burn units, and provide other resources and information as needed. To learn more, visit http://firefightersforhealing.org/.
About Red Bandanna Project
The Red Bandanna Project is a character development program for use in elementary, middle, and high school classrooms, sports teams and camps and youth programs. Inspired by the exemplary life and selfless death of Welles Crowther, the lessons taught are Leadership, Caring for Others, TEAM, The Power of One, Bridging Divides, Forgiveness and Carpe Diem. This project is supported by the Fetzer Institute of Kalamazoo, Michigan in partnership with the Welles Remy Crowther Charitable Trust.
For more information about the Welles Remy Crowther Charitable Trust, please visithttp://www.crowthertrust.org/.
