WILBRAHAM – Former Minnechaug Regional High School students are coming together to raise money in memory of a fellow classmate who lost his life in the tragic World War II plane crash at the Bradley International Airport.

Ludlow resident, 40-year-old Jim Roberts, was aboard the B-17 bomber on Oct. 2 when it crashed into a de-icing facility at the airport and took the lives of seven people, including Jim.

East Longmeadow resident, Bill Sullivan, who graduated from Minnechaug in 1978 didn’t know Jim, but knew his brother Joe who graduated the same year. Sullivan said when the crash took place, a fellow classmate posted on a Facebook page where the class communicates, looking for a way to raise money for the Roberts family.

However, Joe had a different idea. “His brother said one of his favorite charities was Make A Wish, so he wanted the money to go there,” Sullivan told Reminder Publishing.

What started as Sullivan giving out his PayPal so people could send him money has turned into a GoFundMe page with people even giving Sullivan contributions in person.

In just a few days the page had surpassed its $1,000 goal and had raised almost $2,000 in honor of Jim. Sullivan said originally, he just thought it would be his classmates contributing to the fund, however, community members have donated in honor of Jim as well.

Sullivan, who works at PeoplesBank in Holyoke, said he even had a client give him a $200 check to contribute to the donations.

“I’d love for us to keep going to raise money in Jim’s honor,” he said. Sullivan also told Reminder Publishing that he’d like to raise “as much as possible” and will probably keep the page running “until things settle down with the Roberts family.”

Sullivan, who remembers when Minnechaug became a regional high school, said the community coming together to raise money in memory of Jim is similar to how they came together all those years ago. “It’s just sad, but Minnechaug all came together. We merged and this is almost the same type of thing. This is a tragedy and we all come together and support the family,” he said.

Even the money will stay within the community once it’s donated to Make A Wish, as Sullivan said, “We’re going to put a restriction on it so it goes to a recipient in the Western Mass. area.”

Those who wish to donate can do so by going to the GoFundMe page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/class-of-78-fundraiser-for-jim-roberts?pc=fb_co_shareflow_w&rcid=r01-157014618107. Sullivan said if people wish to donate in person, they can email Skijay@gmail.com.