ANDOVER, Minn. — The family of a military pilot from Minnesota who is missing and presumed dead is sharing the last text exchange they had with him before the fatal flight and crash.
Air Force Maj. Jeff Hoernemann was one of eight people aboard a CV-22 Osprey that crashed off the coast of Japan on Nov. 29. Military officials announced that six of eight bodies have been recovered, but Hoernemann's family indicates he is still unaccounted for.
Hoernemann, 32, was a pilot, trainer and 2008 graduate of Andover High School. On Thursday his family released a short text exchange between Jeff and his mother the day the Osprey went down. It is brief, normal, and heartfelt.
"Today is the big day!" Jeff texted. "Headed in to fly now."
"Good luck!" his mom responded. "Please let us know how it goes."
"Will do," Hoernemann promised.
"Love you so much," his mother concluded.
Along with the text exchange, Hoernemann's family shared a statement about their loss, confirming that his remains have not been located.
“As we mourn, we have hope and faith that Jeff will be found soon. Jeff was proud to have been chosen to fly the CV-22B Osprey. He loved to fly the hybrid aircraft and was never afraid of it. He was very happy when he got the chance to fly full-time with the Air Force. Our hearts go out to the families of Jeff's wingmen, who are also dealing with this tragedy.”
The aircraft Jeff was flying was on a training mission when it crashed Nov. 29 near Yakushima, Japan. The U.S. military has ground its entire fleet of the hybrid Osprey - which takes off vertically like a helicopter but can rotate its engines and propellers to fly like a conventional plane - while the investigation into the crash is conducted.
In wake of Hoernemann's death, an honorary scholarship fund was created to raise money for people interested in studying aviation, engineering and/or education, "all of which were important to Jeff."
"We feel this is the best way for us to keep Jeff's name alive, and help others in perpetuity, so that some good can come from such a disastrous event," a family member posted to the GoFundMe's landing page.
One day after it was posted, more than $3,000 had been raised toward the fundraiser's $75,000 goal.
If you're interested in contributing to Maj. Jeff Hoernemann's honorary scholarship fund, click here.
WATCH MORE ON KARE 11+
Download the free KARE 11+ app for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV and other smart TV platforms to watch more from KARE 11 anytime! The KARE 11+ app includes live streams of all of KARE 11's newscasts. You'll also find on-demand replays of newscasts; the latest from KARE 11 Investigates, Breaking the News and the Land of 10,000 Stories; exclusive programs like Verify and HeartThreads; and Minnesota sports talk from our partners at Locked On Minnesota.
- Add KARE 11+ on Roku here or by searching for KARE 11 in the Roku Channel Store.
- Add KARE 11+ on Fire TV here or by searching for KARE 11 in the Amazon App Store.
- Learn more about the KARE 11+ app for Apple TV in the Apple App Store.
- Learn more about KARE 11+ here.
Watch more local news:
Watch the latest local news from the Twin Cities and across Minnesota in our YouTube playlist: