Last Wednesday, an American Airlines flight took off from Wichita, Kansas, and was headed for the Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., when a Blackhawk military helicopter collided with the plane. There were no survivors for those on the commercial flight and those in the helicopter, making it one of the most deadly airplane crashes in decades. On the flight were 64 passengers, 28 of which were a part of the U.S. Figure Skating community coming back from a national development camp held in Wichita. They were Olympic-hopeful skaters, elite coaches, and families, all coming back home after the camp when the collision happened. Many skaters and coaches on the flight were from the DMV community, they lived just miles away and dedicated their lives to their sport.
The tragic accident shook many people, as it happened so close to home, “I woke up in the morning and all over social media there were posts about a plane crash,” senior Sudharsna Suresh said. “Then I saw lots of posts with statements from lots of sports organizations, even Team USA, and it was very sad.”
The lives of those that were lost on the flight will be remembered, and the members of the skating community who were on that flight are honored by fellow skaters and their home ice rinks.
