At 16, Crowther joined his father as a volunteer firefighter, becoming a junior member of the Empire Hook and Ladder Company. He later attended Boston College, where he played lacrosse. In 1999, Crowther graduated with honors with a degree in economics. He subsequently moved to New York City, taking a job as an equities trader for Sandler O'Neill and Partners, settling into an office on the 104th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center. He later entertained dreams of joining the FDNY or the FBI or CIA.
