Latest news with #Flight5342MemorialSkatingPerformance
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chicago skaters honor DC plane crash victims with tribute performance
The Brief Young Chicago-area figure skaters held a tribute Saturday for those killed in the January plane crash over Washington, D.C. The Flight 5342 Memorial Skating Performance took place at Wilmette Centennial Ice Rinks and honored those involved in the crash, which occurred after a collision with a military helicopter. The event also raised funds for the families of the victims, with skaters sharing emotional memories of their friends and teammates lost in the tragedy. WILMETTE, Ill. - Some of the best young figure skaters in the Chicago area gathered Saturday for a tribute to those who died in the January plane crash over Washington, D.C. What we know The Flight 5342 Memorial Skating Performance took place at Wilmette Centennial Ice Rinks. Among the plane crash victims were four coaches and 11 skaters returning from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas, and an elite training camp. Some of the athletes had trained and competed with those on board the American Airlines flight that crashed into the Potomac River after colliding with a military helicopter. What they're saying "I think it really opened up a lot of our eyes to what the sport really means for us and really how much we value our connections in it and not to take anything for granted," said Addyson McDanold. "One of them, Everly, was in my squad and another boy, Franco, was on the plane. I was just in a Snapchat group chat talking to him and all of a sudden I hear that this happened and I look at his location on Snapchat and it's just gone. And it's like, heartbreaking," said Baylen Taich. What's next In addition to remembering the crash victims, the tribute also raised money for their families.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Illinois skaters to honor victims of DC plane crash with memorial performance
The Brief A special memorial skating performance will be held March 8 at Wilmette Centennial Ice Rinks. 28 members of the U.S. figure skating community were among the 64 people killed in the DC plane crash. All proceeds from the event will support families who lost loved ones. WILMETTE, Ill. - Three weeks after a devastating plane crash in Washington, D.C., that claimed 64 lives, including 28 members of the U.S. figure skating community, skaters in Illinois are coming together to honor their fallen friends and coaches. What we know On March 8, a group of skaters will take the ice at Wilmette Centennial Ice Rinks for a special memorial performance to remember those lost in the crash. Among the victims were four coaches and 11 skaters who were returning from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas and an elite training camp. Two of the coaches, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, played a pivotal role in shaping the career of Olympic gold medalist Alexa Knierim, who will now help lead the tribute. For Knierim and her husband Chris Knierim, who won an Olympic bronze medal together in 2018 and now coach in the Chicago area, the loss is deeply personal. "They were my very first coaches," Alexa said, reflecting on the impact Shishkova and Naumov had on her early career. The loss has been felt across the skating community, including among young skaters like Brooke Gewalt, who competed at the recent championships and knew several of the victims. "For it to be people and kids that I knew and watched and even looked up to—it was very shocking," Gewalt said. Big picture view For the skaters participating in the Flight 5342 Memorial Skating Performance, the event is more than just a fundraiser—it's a way to honor the victims, support grieving families, and find healing through their sport. "I think our skating community is going to get closer," said Chris Knierim. "We sometimes take for granted what we have and who we have around us. This just shows that life is so precious and can be gone in an instant." What's next The March 8 performance will serve as a tribute to the lives lost and a show of solidarity from the skating community. Tickets are available for a $25 donation at with all proceeds going to the families affected by the tragedy.
