Spend five minutes with Shannon Hickey, and you realize just how unique she is.

She enjoys the usual teenage fare — shopping, talking about boys, learning to drive.

But for the past five years, Hickey, 16, has worked to develop Mychal's Message, an organization committed to aiding the homeless through donations of clothing and other supplies.

Mychal's Message was formed to continue the mission of family friend the Rev. Mychal Judge, who was killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.

Along with family members, Hickey makes four trips to New York City a year to deliver donations to people in the bread line at St. Francis of Assisi Church, the parish Judge served for six years.

For her dedication, Hickey will be featured on NBC's "Today" show as part of the Macy's "Parade on Parade" promotion, which recognizes young people who have have made special contributions to their family or community.

To celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the retailer will put its "Parade on Parade," touring the country and offering a behind-the-scenes look at the annual holiday tradition.

Parade on Parade is an outdoor, interactive recreation of several elements of the traditional Thanksgiving Day event — such as balloons, bands and musical revues — aboard two custom-designed 18-wheelers. Of the 23 stops on the tour, NBC selected five cities — one of which was Philadelphia — and then found a young person in that area who deserved recognition. Locally, they chose Hickey, the daughter of Joe and Kelly Lynch.

A "Today" film crew arrived at Hickey's Landisville home Tuesday to tape a segment that will air Nov. 16 during the 8 a.m. hour of the show.

Hickey's segment will air the same day the Parade on Parade arrives in Philadelphia.

As the crew set up lights and cameras in the family room Tuesday, Hickey talked about why Mychal's Message is so close to her heart.

When she was 7 weeks old, Hickey was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a rare liver disorder. At 7 months, she underwent a liver transplant — her mother was the donor.

Judge had been a family friend and helped the family through this difficult time, she said.

"He prayed with us, he supported us, he was there for us through all of it," said the now-healthy teen. "He was an inspiration."

Judge was chaplain to New York City's Engine Company One/Ladder Company 24, which was across the street from the St. Francis of Assisi friary. He was killed on Sept. 11, 2001, when he removed his helmet to administer last rites to a firefighter. A piece of falling debris struck him on the head, killing him.

Hickey had taken to celebrating the anniversary of her transplant each year with a party, complete with cake and presents.

But in 2002, she wanted to mark the occasion in a more meaningful way and, instead of presents, asked for socks to give to the homeless in memory of Judge.

"I wanted to celebrate my life by remembering his," she said.

The socks were only the beginning.

In five years, Mychal's Message has given 100,000 items to homeless people.

"These people are so thankful, and they make you want to keep coming back," Hickey said, explaining what drives her. "You really have the ability to touch people."

Even with college on the horizon for this high school junior and a possible career in journalism, Hickey shows no sign of slowing down.

On Tuesday, the "Today" crew began the day at 7 a.m. at Lancaster Catholic High School, where students either brought donated coats to school or simply gave money to purchase coats.

Students also were asked to come to school without their own coats to experience the cold of homelessness.

Hickey and her family collected 76 coats and $2,300. The crew will follow her to Philadelphia today to deliver the coats to a soup kitchen.

"I could never do this without my friends and family," Hickey said. "In fact, they're the only reason I can do it at all."

And the admiration goes both ways.

"When you consider that she was not expected to live past her second birthday, ... all I can say is that we feel extremely blessed," Kelly Lynch said.

"God had a much bigger plan for her that none of us could have ever imagined.

"She's following in Mychal's footsteps and we're following in hers."


More information about Mychal's Message can be found at www.mychalsmessage.org.


Jennifer Todd's e-mail address is jtodd@lnpnews.com.