Pennsylvania man working to secure funding for public memorial honoring co-pilot of Flight 175

HERSHEY, Pa. — On Sept. 11, 2001, Randy McKillop was working with his dad in Harrisburg. They owned a consulting firm.

“Turned the TV on, which we walked in and my dad just stared at that television,” McKillop recalled. “Another jet just crashed into the towers. It seemed like a horror movie.”

He didn’t know at the time, but that plane they watched crash into the second tower live on TV was originally manned by one of Hershey’s own.

Michael Horrocks was the co-pilot of United Airlines Flight 175 that was hijacked that morning, a flight from Boston to Los Angeles.

“That was the plane that the world witnessed live crashing into the South Tower,” McKillop said.

Horrocks, known simply as “Rocks,” graduated from Hershey High School in 1981. He went on to West Chester University, where he was the quarterback of the football team.

Then he went to the United States Marine Corps, where he was a pilot and flight instructor.

He got a job with United Airlines after retiring from the Marines.

McKillop met Rocks when he was a freshman, and Rocks was a senior.

“Just an amazing, amazing dude,” McKillop said.

McKillop made the high school baseball team that year, and said he’s never forgotten how Horrocks made him and the other freshmen feel welcomed.

“As we warmed up the one day, you know, we’re all intimidated. We’re four years younger and he just kind of, ‘Hey, Randy, nice to meet you! Glad you made the school team! Let’s have a great year!’ And was just open, you know kind of just was there for me and I just never forgot it,” McKillop said.

There is a memorial at Hershey High School - a headstone dedicated to students, staff, and alumni on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

It was recently moved right outside of the Hershey High Football Stadium.

There’s also a statue at West Chester University’s stadium. Football players started a tradition where they touch the toe of the stadium as they take the field for home games.

But McKillop is determined to build a memorial for the public, in Hershey, to honor Horrocks.

He has the land granted for the memorial and it’s already been designed.

“It’s dedicated to his kids, Christina, who was 9, and Nick, who was 6, at the time of Michael’s death,” McKillop said.

Their silhouettes are part of the memorial.

Now, it’s just about finding funding.

McKillop is hoping someone will see this story, and donate to or sponsor the memorial and make it a reality to honor a local hero.

“I want to make sure that we never forget,” he said.

McKillop said if anyone is interested in helping, he can be contacted by phone at 717-648-8544, or by email at mckillopassoc@comcast.net.

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