From World Trade Center Hero to Proud Father in the Skies.
In an emotional Father’s Day tribute, retired NYPD pilot Carlos Sanchez flew alongside his son, NYPD pilot Randy Sanchez, for the very first time — a moment more than 30 years in the making.
Carlos isn’t just any retired pilot. In 1993, when terrorists detonated a truck bomb beneath the World Trade Center, he was among the NYPD helicopter pilots who landed on the towers’ rooftops to rescue people trapped by thick smoke.
Flying the larger Bell 412 helicopter, Sanchez and his fellow pilots coordinated by radio, taking turns landing on the roof and airlifting stranded victims to Battery Park. Together, they rescued about a dozen people who could not escape through the smoke-filled stairwells.
Fast forward to 2026, and Carlos found himself in the passenger seat while his son Randy piloted an NYPD Bell helicopter over New York City. The flight departed from Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, climbed to 800 feet, cruised at nearly 100 mph, and reached the Empire State Building in just seven minutes. Randy even performed sharp training turns around the iconic skyscraper as part of his NYPD flight training.
Adding to the remarkable family story, Carlos served in the U.S. Marine Corps and helped secure the Panama Canal during the 1980s before joining the NYPD in 1984. Randy later served as a paratrooper with the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, deploying to Iraq and Haiti before becoming a police officer and eventually a pilot.
The family’s commitment to service doesn’t stop there. Randy’s brother Chris is also an NYPD officer, making three generations of dedication and sacrifice part of the Sanchez family legacy.
Perhaps the most touching detail: Randy credits both his father and his late mother for inspiring his journey. His mother, who passed away last year, was one of his biggest supporters throughout his aviation career.
From rescuing lives atop the World Trade Center to watching his son command the skies over Manhattan, Carlos Sanchez witnessed something few parents ever experience — seeing his own legacy literally take flight.
