For two and a half decades, a nonprofit organization established in South Jersey has worked to transform the remembrance of national tragedy into an enduring educational legacy. By providing direct financial assistance to aspiring young pilots, the organization continues to commemorate the sacrifice of LeRoy W. Homer Jr., the commercial aviator who lost his life aboard United Airlines Flight 93 during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
The LeRoy W. Homer Jr. Foundation was formally established in 2002 as a living memorial to Homer, who was serving as the first officer aboard the hijacked airliner. The organization was built with the explicit intention of keeping his lifelong dedication to flight alive by opening pathways for future generations to enter the aviation community.
Jane Oswari, the vice president of the foundation, emphasized that the initiative’s central objective has always been rooted in carrying Homer's devotion to flight forward. According to Oswari, the founders sought a meaningful way to honor his memory by actively investing in individuals who share that same enthusiasm for taking to the skies.
At the time of his death, Homer was 36 years old and lived in the South Jersey township of Marlton with his wife and young child. His career in civil aviation followed an accomplished tenure in the armed forces, having served as a member of the United States Air Force before joining the ranks of United Airlines.
On the morning of September 11, Homer was stationed in the cockpit of United Airlines Flight 93 when terrorists seized the aircraft shortly after takeoff. The hijackers diverted the commercial plane from its scheduled path and turned it directly toward Washington, D.C., with the intention of striking the U.S. Capitol building.
Faced with the hostile takeover, Homer, alongside his fellow crew members and the passengers on board, actively resisted the hijackers inside the aircraft. Their concerted struggle prevented the plane from reaching its intended target, ultimately causing the aircraft to crash in an open field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
The crash resulted in the loss of everyone on board the aircraft. A total of 44 individuals perished in the field, including 33 passengers, two pilots, five flight attendants, and the four hijackers who had orchestrated the attack.
In the years following the disaster, the LeRoy W. Homer Jr. Foundation established its primary mission around assisting young aviation students between the ages of 16 and 23. The organization focuses its resources on helping these young candidates successfully obtain their private pilot licenses.
The decision to focus resources specifically on youth who are just beginning their flight training stems directly from Homer’s own personal history. He exhibited a deep fascination with airplanes from a very early age, spending his childhood assembling model aircraft and studying aviation literature before taking his very first flying lesson at the age of 15.
Over the course of the past 25 years, the South Jersey-based foundation has collaborated with local flight schools and distributed financial scholarships that have enabled 40 individuals to successfully complete their training and earn their official pilot licenses.
Oswari noted that while September 11 remains a deeply tragic milestone in American history, the foundation has successfully channeled Homer’s enduring love for the sky into tangible opportunities for new aviators, creating a positive impact that bridges generations.
The foundation operates on a nationwide scale, awarding scholarships to candidates across the United States. Its operations and educational awards are funded through a combination of independent grants, public charitable contributions, and substantial institutional support from United Airlines.
United Airlines maintains an ongoing partnership with the memorial organization through an employee giving initiative. Under this workplace program, airline personnel can choose to contribute directly to the foundation through recurring payroll deductions, providing steady financial support for incoming scholarship classes.
The financial and instructional support provided by the foundation has propelled numerous alumni into established careers across the aviation industry. Former scholarship recipients have gone on to serve as commercial airline pilots, military aviators, certified flight instructors, and leaders within various professional aviation disciplines.
Although scholarship recipients reside and train in various regions across the country, Oswari noted that the foundation maintains a remarkably close-knit community. Nearly all of the former scholarship recipients continue to stay in contact with the organization and remain connected with one another long after earning their licenses.
Reflecting on the organization's quarter-century of work, Oswari described the network of recipients as an extended family. She expressed that watching Homer’s spirit and passion reflected through the professional trajectories and personal lives of so many young pilots remains the most fulfilling achievement of the foundation's work.
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