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USA Today
02-03-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Figure skating icons honor victims of D.C. plane crash at 'Legacy on Ice' tribute
Figure skating icons honor victims of D.C. plane crash at 'Legacy on Ice' tribute Show Caption Hide Caption Top U.S. figure skaters gather to honor flight crash victims with show U.S. figure skating's biggest names are coming together for 'Legacy on Ice', a tribute show for the victims of the tragic flight crash on January 29th. Sports Pulse WASHINGTON — When American Airlines 5342 fatally collided with a military helicopter over the Potomac River a little more than one month ago, the first feelings that rippled throughout the U.S. figure skating community were shock and grief − mourning for the skaters, coaches and parents who were lost. Then, it was: What can we do to honor them? "As skaters," 1992 Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi explained, "we learn to express our emotions through artistry." And so, on Sunday, they took to the ice at Capital One Arena for "Legacy on Ice," a two-hour tribute show to honor the 67 victims in the Jan. 29 crash and raise money for the families and first responders who were impacted. The exhibition included appearances by some of the most legendary names in U.S. figure skating, from co-hosts Yamaguchi and 1988 Olympic gold medalist Brian Boitano to 1968 gold medalist Peggy Fleming. And it featured performances on the ice by current and former Olympic and world champions, including Nathan Chen and Ilia Malinin, and retired fan favorites, such as NBC analyst Johnny Weir. All told, more than 40 current and retired Team USA skaters participated, with medalists from eight different editions of the Winter Olympics among them. "My grandfather would always tell me ... that when people come together and you share your wins and your victories together, they double. And when you share the losses and you share the tragedies, those sorrows get cut in half," two-time Olympian Jason Brown said. "And that's kind of how I feel coming together." Sunday's show featured individual tributes to the 11 young figure skaters who died in the Jan. 29 crash, in which a military helicopter collided with a passenger plane returning from Wichita, Kansas − the site of a national development camp for the country's top skating talent. Four of the skaters' coaches and 13 family members also died in the crash. The show also included video tributes and a round of applause for the estimated 400 first responders and family members who were in attendance. Perhaps the show's most poignant moment was the performance of Maxim Naumov, who lost both of his parents, 1994 pairs champions Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, in the crash. Naumov skated to his parents' favorite song − a song that, Boitano explained in his introduction, would prompt them to spontaneously slow dance together whenever it came on. After the performance, he fell to the ice and sobbed as the crowd at Capital One Arena gave him an extensive round of applause. "The skating community is such a small and close-knit community in so many ways, so the tragedy was felt really, really deeply," retired Olympic skater Gracie Gold said. "And I had no doubt that so many of us would turn out for this event." A little more than a month ago, Gold traveled to Wichita, Kansas to serve as a coach at the development camp, working with young skaters on their jumps. After hosting a Q&A session at the end of the camp's final day, she traveled with some of those skaters to the airport, stood with them in security lines, chatted with some of their coaches and then boarded a plane home. About 90 minutes later, American Airlines 5342 took off from Wichita, bound for Reagan Washington National Airport. "It's been really difficult for the whole community," Gold said Saturday evening. "Just to see something good come from such a horrible event is really, really special." Contact Tom Schad at tschad@ or on social media @
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tears flow at a poignant figure skating event in Washington benefiting victims of the DC plane crash
WASHINGTON (AP) — A star-studded group of some of the best U.S. figure skaters of the past and present took the ice Sunday in the nation's capital to remember and raise money for the victims of the midair collision outside Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. American icons of the sport Kristi Yamaguchi and Brian Boitano emceed the Legacy on Ice benefit event, which included performances by the likes of Johnny Weir, two-time U.S. champion Amber Glenn and reigning men's world champion Ilia Malinin, along with poignant tributes to the 67 people who died when an Army helicopter collided with an American Airlines flight and crashed into the Potomac River on Jan. 29. That included 28 members of the figure skating community, some of whom lived and trained in the Washington area. 'We are not powerless,' Boitano said in opening the show. 'As skaters, we learned to be resilient and to always find a path forward that is positive.' See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Ted Leonsis, head of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which staged the event along with U.S. Figure Skating, DC Fire & EMS Foundation and the Greater Washington Community Foundation, hopes doing this at Capital One Arena helps families in the healing process the way concerts and sports at Madison Square Garden did in New York in 2001 after 9/11. 'Sports can play this convening and healing role,' Leonsis said. 'Our goal is to allow the community to heal, kind of a collective hug for these communities, but then we want to raise a lot of money." The dasher boards had 67 stars, one for each of the victims, and skaters put flowers on a rinkside table of candles before beginning their routines. 'We're all here to support one another, whether it was our friends that were on that plane, family members, coaches, teammates, loved ones,' said 2014 Olympic team bronze medalist Jason Brown, who skated to 'The Impossible Dream' by Josh Groban. 'We all travel for this sport. We get to do what we love. And travel is such a huge part of what we do, so it all hit us really hard because this is just such an integral part of what we do, as well as those are people that we're closest to.' Glenn kicked things off by performing to Andra Day's 'Rise Up' and broke down in tears at center ice when she finished. Weir, whose family moved to Newark, Delaware, when he was 12 for him to pursue his skating career, dedicated his performance to the members of the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club who were on American Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, following a national development camp there coinciding with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Peggy Fleming, 1968 Olympic champion, said she hopes the event 'will heal and give strength to our skaters in the future.' Alysa Liu wants to try to honor the memory of those lost so she 'can keep going.' 'It's still a struggle and was a struggle,' said Liu, who performed to 'Hero' by Mariah Carey. 'Coming together and seeing everyone again has definitely been the most reassuring feeling. And it's just because everyone knows exactly how everyone feels. I think we get each other, and it's nice that we get to just do what we love." Forty-one years after winning gold at the Olympics, Scott Hamilton skated onto the ice and led a prayer. Fans lit the arena with their cellphones for a lengthy moment of silence that was pierced by a low murmur of crying. Thirteen-year-old Isabella Aparicio skated in memory of her brother, Franco, and father, Luciano, who were on the flight, and wept on her knees at the conclusion of her performance. Maxim Naumov, who lost his parents in the crash, wiped away tears as he left the ice, holding up an electric candle as applause rained down. 'Imagine' blared from arena speakers during one ensemble performance, Malinin dazzled the crowd with his jump-filled routine and Lady Gaga's 'Hold My Hand' was the soundtrack of the grand finale of the emotional two-plus-hour show. 'Max skating under these circumstances was very courageous,' U.S. Figure Skating interim CEO Sam Auxier said. 'It was just an amazing show, and you could see even with Ilia the passion and the feelings about what happened coming through in their skating.' Members of the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals were among those in attendance a little over 24 hours after the Capitals promoted the event during their game Saturday by wearing Legacy on Ice decals on their helmets. So were hundreds of first responders and their family members, after some came from as far away as Baltimore to be part of the rescue and recovery efforts. 'This was an incredibly challenging scene for those first responders,' DC Fire and EMS Foundation executive director Amy Mauro said. 'The things that they witnessed are very difficult and will stay with them for a long time. This is part of their grieving and healing process, as well.' In addition to being a gathering place for figure skaters, first responders and all the families affected by the crash, the intent was to raise money for all of them. 'We've heard from the families about things like college tuition for young children who are in elementary school today but also things like therapy and health care that they need,' Monumental president of external affairs and chief administrative officer Monica Dixon said. 'Every family will choose how to use those funds in the best way that they choose.' The event aired live on Monumental Sports Network and streamed on Peacock. NBC will show an encore performance March 30. "That's what we're hoping: We raise a lot of donations that way," Leonsis said. 'People care. The lesson in this is that, to me, if you personalize something like this, you can come together and do the right things in the right way. I'm proud of what we've done.' ___ AP sports:
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tears flow at a poignant figure skating event in Washington benefiting victims of the DC plane crash
WASHINGTON (AP) — A star-studded group of some of the best U.S. figure skaters of the past and present took the ice Sunday in the nation's capital to remember and raise money for the victims of the midair collision outside Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. American icons of the sport Kristi Yamaguchi and Brian Boitano emceed the Legacy on Ice benefit event, which included performances by the likes of Johnny Weir, two-time U.S. champion Amber Glenn and reigning men's world champion Ilia Malinin, along with poignant tributes to the 67 people who died when an Army helicopter collided with an American Airlines flight and crashed into the Potomac River on Jan. 29. That included 28 members of the figure skating community, some of whom lived and trained in the Washington area. 'We are not powerless,' Boitano said in opening the show. 'As skaters, we learned to be resilient and to always find a path forward that is positive.' Ted Leonsis, head of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which staged the event along with U.S. Figure Skating, DC Fire & EMS Foundation and the Greater Washington Community Foundation, hopes doing this at Capital One Arena helps families in the healing process the way concerts and sports at Madison Square Garden did in New York in 2001 after 9/11. 'Sports can play this convening and healing role,' Leonsis said. 'Our goal is to allow the community to heal, kind of a collective hug for these communities, but then we want to raise a lot of money." The dasher boards had 67 stars, one for each of the victims, and skaters put flowers on a rinkside table of candles before beginning their routines. Glenn kicked things off by performing to Andra Day's 'Rise Up' and broke down in tears at center ice when she finished. Weir, whose family moved to Newark, Delaware, when he was 12 for him to pursue his skating career, dedicated his performance to the members of the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club who were on American Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, following a national development camp there coinciding with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Peggy Fleming, 1968 Olympic champion, said she hopes the event 'will heal and give strength to our skaters in the future.' Alysa Liu wants to try to honor the memory of those lost so she 'can keep going.' 'It's still a struggle and was a struggle,' said Liu, who performed to 'Hero' by Mariah Carey. 'Coming together and seeing everyone again has definitely been the most reassuring feeling. And it's just because everyone knows exactly how everyone feels. I think we get each other, and it's nice that we get to just do what we love." Forty-one years after winning gold at the Olympics, Scott Hamilton skated onto the ice and led a prayer. Fans lit the arena with their cellphones for a lengthy moment of silence that was pierced by a low murmur of crying. Thirteen-year-old Isabella Aparicio skated in memory of her brother, Franco, and father, Luciano, who were on the flight, and wept on her knees at the conclusion of her performance. Maxim Naumov, who lost his parents in the crash, wiped away tears as he left the ice, holding up an electric candle as applause rained down. 'Imagine' blared from arena speakers during one ensemble performance, Malinin dazzled the crowd with his jump-filled routine and Lady Gaga's 'Hold My Hand' was the soundtrack of the grand finale of the emotional two-plus-hour show. 'We're all here to support one another, whether it was our friends that were on that plane, family members, coaches, teammates, loved ones,' said 2014 Olympic team bronze medalist Jason Brown, who skated to 'The Impossible Dream' by Josh Groban. 'In skating, especially, we're all so interconnected. We all travel for this sport. We get to do what we love. And travel is such a huge part of what we do, so it all hit us really hard because this is just such an integral part of what we do, as well as those are people that we're closest to.' Members of the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals were among those in attendance a little over 24 hours after the Capitals promoted the event during their game Saturday by wearing Legacy on Ice decals on their helmets. So were hundreds of first responders and their family members, after some came from as far away as Baltimore to be part of the rescue and recovery efforts. 'This was an incredibly challenging scene for those first responders,' DC Fire and EMS Foundation executive director Amy Mauro said. 'The things that they witnessed are very difficult and will stay with them for a long time. This is part of their grieving and healing process, as well.' In addition to being a gathering place for figure skaters, first responders and all the families affected by the crash, the intent was to raise money for all of them. 'We've heard from the families about things like college tuition for young children who are in elementary school today but also things like therapy and health care that they need,' Monumental president of external affairs and chief administrative officer Monica Dixon said. 'Every family will choose how to use those funds in the best way that they choose.' The event aired live on Monumental Sports Network and streamed on Peacock. NBC will show an encore performance March 30. "That's what we're hoping: We raise a lot of donations that way," Leonsis said. 'People care. The lesson in this is that, to me, if you personalize something like this, you can come together and do the right things in the right way. I'm proud of what we've done.' ___ AP sports:
Associated Press
02-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Tears flow at a poignant figure skating event in Washington benefiting victims of the DC plane crash
WASHINGTON (AP) — A star-studded group of some of the best U.S. figure skaters of the past and present took the ice Sunday in the nation's capital to remember and raise money for the victims of the midair collision outside Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. American icons of the sport Kristi Yamaguchi and Brian Boitano emceed the Legacy on Ice benefit event, which included performances by the likes of Johnny Weir, two-time U.S. champion Amber Glenn and reigning men's world champion Ilia Malinin, along with poignant tributes to the 67 people who died when an Army helicopter collided with an American Airlines flight and crashed into the Potomac River on Jan. 29. That included 28 members of the figure skating community, some of whom lived and trained in the Washington area. 'We are not powerless,' Boitano said in opening the show. 'As skaters, we learned to be resilient and to always find a path forward that is positive.' Ted Leonsis, head of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which staged the event along with U.S. Figure Skating, DC Fire & EMS Foundation and the Greater Washington Community Foundation, hopes doing this at Capital One Arena helps families in the healing process the way concerts and sports at Madison Square Garden did in New York in 2001 after 9/11. 'Sports can play this convening and healing role,' Leonsis said. 'Our goal is to allow the community to heal, kind of a collective hug for these communities, but then we want to raise a lot of money.' The dasher boards had 67 stars, one for each of the victims, and skaters put flowers on a rinkside table of candles before beginning their routines. Glenn kicked things off by performing to Andra Day's 'Rise Up' and broke down in tears at center ice when she finished. Weir, whose family moved to Newark, Delaware, when he was 12 for him to pursue his skating career, dedicated his performance to the members of the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club who were on American Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, following a national development camp there coinciding with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Peggy Fleming, 1968 Olympic champion, said she hopes the event 'will heal and give strength to our skaters in the future.' Alysa Liu wants to try to honor the memory of those lost so she 'can keep going.' 'It's still a struggle and was a struggle,' said Liu, who performed to 'Hero' by Mariah Carey. 'Coming together and seeing everyone again has definitely been the most reassuring feeling. And it's just because everyone knows exactly how everyone feels. I think we get each other, and it's nice that we get to just do what we love.' Forty-one years after winning gold at the Olympics, Scott Hamilton skated onto the ice and led a prayer. Fans lit the arena with their cellphones for a lengthy moment of silence that was pierced by a low murmur of crying. Thirteen-year-old Isabella Aparicio skated in memory of her brother, Franco, and father, Luciano, who were on the flight, and wept on her knees at the conclusion of her performance. Maxim Naumov, who lost his parents in the crash, wiped away tears as he left the ice, holding up an electric candle as applause rained down. 'Imagine' blared from arena speakers during one ensemble performance, Malinin dazzled the crowd with his jump-filled routine and Lady Gaga's 'Hold My Hand' was the soundtrack of the grand finale of the emotional two-plus-hour show. 'We're all here to support one another, whether it was our friends that were on that plane, family members, coaches, teammates, loved ones,' said 2014 Olympic team bronze medalist Jason Brown, who skated to 'The Impossible Dream' by Josh Groban. 'In skating, especially, we're all so interconnected. We all travel for this sport. We get to do what we love. And travel is such a huge part of what we do, so it all hit us really hard because this is just such an integral part of what we do, as well as those are people that we're closest to.' Members of the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals were among those in attendance a little over 24 hours after the Capitals promoted the event during their game Saturday by wearing Legacy on Ice decals on their helmets. So were hundreds of first responders and their family members, after some came from as far away as Baltimore to be part of the rescue and recovery efforts. 'This was an incredibly challenging scene for those first responders,' DC Fire and EMS Foundation executive director Amy Mauro said. 'The things that they witnessed are very difficult and will stay with them for a long time. This is part of their grieving and healing process, as well.' In addition to being a gathering place for figure skaters, first responders and all the families affected by the crash, the intent was to raise money for all of them. 'We've heard from the families about things like college tuition for young children who are in elementary school today but also things like therapy and health care that they need,' Monumental president of external affairs and chief administrative officer Monica Dixon said. 'Every family will choose how to use those funds in the best way that they choose.' The event aired live on Monumental Sports Network and streamed on Peacock. NBC will show an encore performance March 30. 'That's what we're hoping: We raise a lot of donations that way,' Leonsis said. 'People care. The lesson in this is that, to me, if you personalize something like this, you can come together and do the right things in the right way. I'm proud of what we've done.'
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Olympic figure skaters to honor DC plane crash victims in tribute show
Champion figure skaters are coming together for a tribute show called "Legacy on Ice" to honor the victims of the American Airlines plane crash. The event will be on Sunday, March 2, at 3 p.m. at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. Olympians Tara Lipinski, Kristi Yamaguchi, Scott Hamilton and Johnny Weir are among those participating. The show will raise funds to support victims' families, first responders and aviation professionals, U.S. Figure Skating said. MORE: DC plane crash victims: Kansas City Chiefs superfan among the 67 killed More than a dozen of the victims killed in the Jan. 29 plane crash were young skaters, their parents and coaches returning home from a national figure skating development camp in Wichita, Kansas. The plane, which departed from Wichita, was about to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C., when it collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, sending both aircraft plunging into the Potomac River. Sixty-four people were on board the plane and three soldiers were on the helicopter. No one survived. MORE: DC plane crash live updates: All 67 bodies identified, wreckage recovery continues "As we begin to heal from this devastating loss, we look forward to honoring the enduring memories of these athletes, coaches and family members who represented the best of the figure skating community," U.S. Figure Skating interim-CEO Samuel Auxier said in a Wednesday statement announcing the tribute show. "We can think of no better way of celebrating their legacies than through the sport they loved," Auxier said. Tickets will go on sale on Monday, Feb. 10, on Ticketmaster. Click here to learn more about the victims. Olympic figure skaters to honor DC plane crash victims in tribute show originally appeared on
