American Airlines Crash: Figure Skater, 12, Had Beaten Cancer
Originally appeared on E! Online
A tragic revelation has been shared from one of the families affected by the American Airlines plane crash.
After American Eagle Flight 5342 collided with a helicopter mid-air on its way from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington, D.C. Jan. 29, the family of 12-year-old Brielle Beyer—a victim of the fatal event—shared that she had already endured cancer as a 4-month-old.
'She was just such a fighter in everything she did," Brielle's father Andrew Beyer told ABC News in an interview published Jan. 31. 'She just lived life to the fullest with everything.'
Andrew—who also shared a 6-year-old son with wife Justyna, who was also a victim in the crash—emphasized how important figure skating was to his daughter's life.
'She was so proud of herself in figure skating for the progress she had made,' he added to the outlet. 'Making that team was one of her life goals. And she achieved it. And she was just so, so proud of herself.'
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His wife had joined his daughter on a trip to Kansas for a skating camp, adding, 'Figure skating at that level, it's a lifestyle—I missed them.'
The tragic deaths of Brielle and Justyna were not the only lives lost in the horrific plane crash—which left the American Airlines plane split in several pieces after colliding with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter. There were 65 other victims in the disaster, including Christine Lane and her 16-year-old son Spencer Lane, the latter of whom shared an Instagram Story shortly before takeoff of the jet's wing, writing, 'ICT->DCA.'
In addition to Spencer and Brielle, there were 12 other figure skaters aboard the American Airlines flight as they traveled back from a development camp hosted by the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
Upon hearing about the lives lost, several world-renowned figure skaters spoke out—including Olympian Nancy Kerrigan.
'I just wanted to be here and be part of our community,' Kerrigan said through tears in a video statement. 'When you find out you know some of the people on the plane, it's an even bigger blow.'
She added, 'We just wish them well—the families—the courage and the strength to make the next steps.'
Keep reading for more details about the American Airlines crash...
What Happened to the Passengers on American Airlines Flight 5342?Who Was Onboard American Airlines Flight 5342?Who Was Onboard the U.S. Army Helicopter Involved in the Collision?What Happens Next After Recover Efforts for American Airlines Flight 5342?Who Has Spoken Out After American Airlines Flight 5342 Crashed Into the Potomac River?
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