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Axios
31-01-2025
- Sport
- Axios
Figure skating community "devastated" after D.C. plane crash
More than a dozen members of the figure skating community are presumed dead after an American Airlines flight and Army helicopter crashed Wednesday night in D.C. "We have lost family," said Doug Zeghibe, the CEO of the Skating Club of Boston. Six victims were from Boston's skating club, including two coaches — 1994 World Pair Champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov. Zeghibe said "to the best of their knowledge" 14 skaters were on board the flight. The victims included athletes, coaches and family members returning from a camp in Wichita, Kansas. Some of them were as young as 11. Many skaters practiced together six or seven days a week, Zeghibe said. "We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims' families closely in our hearts," U.S. Figure Skating said in a statement. Olympians Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski opened part of Thursday's European Figure Skating Championships with a moment of silence. Both emotionally shared what a tremendous loss this is for the tight-knit community. "I know our skating community will never be the same," Lipinski said. Flashback: This moment is reminiscent of a tragedy in 1961 when a plane headed to a figure skating championship in Prague crashed, killing 18 members of the U.S. figure skating team. "You don't have to know everybody to feel that connection," Olympian Nancy Kerrigan told reporters at the Skating Club of Boston on Thursday. "We've been through the same thing — that training, that rigorous schedule of falling over and over and somehow picking yourself back up, which is the main lesson learned in skating: you get back up, keep on trying. And even when it's hard, you get back up."
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Who were the D.C. plane crash victims? Figure skaters, a soon-to-wed pilot, civil rights lawyer among those killed in American Airlines-Black Hawk collision
Officials believe that all 67 people aboard an American Airlines flight and an Army helicopter were killed when the two aircraft collided in midair while approaching Washington's Reagan National Airport Wednesday night. As of reporting, at least 28 bodies — including those of three soldiers who were aboard the helicopter — have been pulled from the Potomac River amid an ongoing recovery effort. The cause of the crash is still being investigated. Neither American Airlines nor U.S. aviation authorities have released an official list of the passengers and crew aboard the commercial flight, which originated in Wichita, Kan. But a number of them have been identified in media reports, including several young figure skaters, their coaches and their family members who were returning from a development camp and the U.S. Figure Skating Championships that happened last week in Wichita. Here's what we know about the groups and people confirmed to have been directly impacted by the crash. Follow Yahoo News' live coverage of the crash here. Six people associated with the Skating Club of Boston were on the plane that crashed Wednesday, CEO Doug Zeghibe told a media press conference Thursday morning. The victims were two up-and-coming teenage skaters, their respective mothers and two former Russian figure skating professionals turned coaches. 'Six is a horrific number for us,' Zeghibe said. 'But we're fortunate and grateful it wasn't more than six. This will have long, reaching impacts for our skating community.' 'Spencer, in the best way possible, was a crazy kid,' Zeghibe said. 'Highly talented, like incredibly talented. Has not been skating very long and rocketed to the top of the sport. Very fun, very cerebral, a good thinker.' His mom, Christine, was also on the flight. Her husband, Lane's father, Douglas, told WCVB5 that Christine was a 'creative powerhouse' who would do anything for her children. On Wednesday, Lane shared a series of photos on his Instagram celebrating his experience at the development camp in Wichita. 'Huge thank you to all the amazing friends, coaches, and faculty that i have met over the last week,' he wrote. 'It was such an amazing experience.' 'Jinna was just a wonderful kid,' Zeghibe said. 'Great athlete, great competitor. Loved by all.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Evgenia Shishkova&Vadim Naumov (@ Shishkova and Naumov were former world champion skaters who represented Russia in the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics before turning to coaching. They had worked as coaches for the Skating Club of Boston since 2017. Lyudmila Velikova, who used to coach Shishkova and Naumov, told Russian state news agency Tass she had been in touch with the couple before last week's event in Kansas, the Associated Press reported. 'Everything was going well for them. They traveled to the main competitions in America and they had very good, worthy students,' Velikova said. 'Many people wanted to work with them.' One of Shishkova and Naumov's top figure skating students was their only child, 23-year-old Maxim Naumov, who finished in fourth place last week at the championships in Wichita. Maxim flew home on a separate flight Monday with Zeghibe. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Everly & Alydia Livingston (@ice_skating_sisters) InsideNoVa, a northern Virginia-based news outlet, and People magazine both named the Livingston sisters as victims of the plane crash. Both sisters qualified for the national figure skating development team last week. 'We are devastated to hear the news of American Eagle flight 5342,' the Washington Figure Skating Club posted on Instagram. 'Our thoughts and prayers are with our skating family during this difficult time.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by @innasskaters A skating coach at Ashburn Ice House, Volyanskaya traveled to Wichita because she trained Alydia Livingston. Before becoming a coach 15 years ago, Volyanskaya was a skater who represented the Soviet Union at competitions in the 1980s. Volyanskaya's ex-husband and fellow skating coach Ross Lansel told News4 Northern Virginia that Volyanskaya was 'one of the best skaters I've ever seen.' 'Just knowing the impact she made to all the skaters and everyone just hurts my soul and just I wish all those kids that she taught, just my condolences and I wish them — all my prayers go out to them,' Lansel said. 'I wish them the best of life and everything because I know it's going to be so hard without her. It's tough because as a figure skating coach, you mean a lot to these kids and you're like the individual person for them.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by University of Delaware Figure Skating Club (@udfsc) Kay was one of five members of the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club who went to the national development camp in Wichita, according to a post shared on the club's Instagram page last week. Not everyone mentioned in the post was on the plane that crashed, however. Both Emmanuel Savary and Zoe and Jerry Stone posted photos on their Instagram Stories referencing the crash on Thursday, confirming they were not on the flight. USA Today, however, named Kay and another young skater, Angela Yang, as being on the flight. View this post on Instagram A post shared by University of Delaware Figure Skating Club (@udfsc) 'Had so so much fun at camp!!!' Yang wrote on Instagram after the national development camp wrapped up. 'I'm really gonna miss my friends and all the great coaches! I can't wait for next year!' View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Skating Lesson (@theskatinglesson) Before becoming a coach and training skaters like Kay and Yang, Kirsanov was an ice dancer himself who competed for the U.S., Azerbaijan and Russia. In the aftermath of the crash news, Kirsanov's wife, Natalya Gudin, told ABC News she 'lost everything.' Gudin, who is also a skating coach, had decided to stay home in Delaware last week rather than travel with her husband. She said the last time she spoke to him was when he boarded the flight Wednesday. 'I lost my husband, I lost my students, I lost my friends,' Gudin said. 'I need my husband back. I need his body back.' As of Thursday afternoon, three of the four crew members aboard the American Airlines flight had been identified. EXCLUSIVE: The father of the pilot onboard the American Airlines Plane identifies him as 28 Year-old- Sam Lilley. His father, who is also a pilot, says he was engaged to be married, started his training in 2019 and was the first officer on the flight Wednesday. @FOX5Atlanta — Eric Perry (@Ericperrytv) January 30, 2025 Lilley's father, Tim Lilley, confirmed to NewsNation that his son was a pilot for the regional airline owned by American and was months away from being promoted to airline captain. 'Samuel was in the prime of his life,' Lilley said. 'He was engaged to a beautiful, wonderful girl and we were all excited about her joining the family.' An unnamed fellow pilot from the airline told CNN that Campos was on the flight and had been a captain for American Airlines since 2022. Epstein's wife, Debi, shared the news 'with a very heavy heart and extreme sadness' on Facebook Thursday morning. 'Ian Epstein was one of the flight attendants on American Airlines Flight 5342,' she wrote. 'Please pray for Ian and our family as we travel to DC.' Kiah Duggins, 30, was a civil rights attorney for the nonprofit Civil Rights Corps in Washington, D.C. She was visiting her hometown of Wichita to be with her mother during a surgical procedure before she headed back to D.C. Howard University officials said Duggins 'was set to begin a new chapter' at the university's law school this fall. Harriet's Wildest Dreams, a Black-led community defense hub, posted the following tribute to Duggins on Instagram. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Harriets Wildest Dreams (@harrietsdreams) The United Association steamfitters' union, which represents workers involved in the installation and maintenance of piping systems in residential, commercial and industrial projects, said in a statement that several members of its Maryland-based organization were on the American Airlines flight. 'We are heartbroken to confirm that four members of UA Steamfitters Local 602 were among the victims of the American Airlines Flight 5342 crash yesterday,' the union wrote. 'These members will be forever in our hearts, and may God bless them and their loved ones. May they forever rest in peace.' The names of the four union members have not been released. We're heartbroken to share that four UA Brothers were among the victims of the tragic crash of American Airlines Flight 5342. May they rest in peace. — United Association (@UAPipeTrades) January 30, 2025 There was a group of friends on the flight returning from spending a few days on a hunting trip in Kansas, the New York Times reported. 'It was a boys' trip,' Shawna Slarb, a cousin of one of the hunters, told the Times. 'They were there on a duck hunt.' Slarb said her cousin who was on the trip, Michael Stovall, was flying with at least six of his friends. One of them was identified as Jesse Pitcher by his father, Jameson. 'He said he'd see me when he got back,' Jameson said about his son. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday that the soldiers aboard the Army helicopter that crashed were a captain, staff sergeant and chief warrant officer, but they have yet to be identified by name. 'It was a fairly experienced crew,' Hegseth said in a video shared on X. 'It's a tragedy, a horrible loss of life.' Jonathan Koziol, a retired Army chief warrant officer who now serves as the chief of staff for the Headquarters Department of the Army Aviation Directorate, told reporters Thursday afternoon that the Black Hawk crew was on a nighttime qualification training flight. There was an instructor pilot aboard who was evaluating how another pilot navigated flight routes around the Potomac River. Koziol said the instructor pilot had more than 1,000 flight hours in a Black Hawk and the other pilot had more than 500 hours.
The Independent
31-01-2025
- General
- The Independent
Victims of Washington DC plane crash include teenage rising stars of Boston Skate Club and 'radiant' mother
A 'radiant' mother, soon-to-be-married pilot and teenage skaters are among those killed in the horror crash between a passenger plane and army helicopter in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday. All 64 people aboard the American Airlines jet and three aboard the Army Black Hawk helicopter are believed dead, after the aircraft crashed mid-air in a massive fireball and plunged into the icy Potomac River near Reagan Washington National Airport. First responders faced heavy winds and frigid conditions in the rescue operation, which officials said Thursday morning has now become a recovery operation. Dozens of bodies have been recovered from the water, as families with loved ones on board the flight wait to hear the worst. This is what we know about the crash victims: Skate Club of Boston rising stars and their moms Six members of Skating Club of Boston, including two teenagers, two coaches and two parents, died in the crash. Doug Zeghibe, executive director of the club in Norwood, Massachusetts, choked back tears as he confirmed that 16-year-olds Spencer Lane and Jinna Han, along with their moms Christine Lane and Jin Han, respectively, perished aboard the flight. 'Spencer, in the best way possible, was a crazy kid,' Zeghibe said. 'Highly talented, has not been skating that long and has been rocketing to the top of the sport. Very fun, very cerebral. Jinna, just a wonderful kid. A great athlete, great competitor. Loved by all,' he said. Zeghibe said their moms were 'dedicated' and always 'made sacrifices.' American Airlines pilot soon to be married Sam Lilley, 28, was one of two people piloting the flight from Wichita, Kansas, his father Timothy Lilley told Fox 5 Atlanta. The young pilot was engaged, his dad said adding that he feared the worst when his son failed to check in after the flight as usual. 'This is undoubtedly the worst day of my life,' Lilley told Fox 5. Lilley served as an Army helicopter pilot for 20 years, telling Fox 5 that he has flown a similar route over the Potomac River. 'I think the PSA jet was doing everything right,' he said. 'The Army pilot made a grave error. It hurts me because those are my brothers, and now my son is dead.' Jonathan Campos, captain of the American Airlines flight Jonathan Campos was the captain of the American Airlines flight, according to reports. The 34-year-old had dreamt of being a pilot since he was 13, his aunt told the New York Times. "I think he wanted to be free, and be able to fly and soar like a bird," Beverly Lane said. Lane said she had spoken with Campos on Wednesday just before the flight, when he told her he was looking forward to an upcoming Caribbean cruise with family. Former world champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov Ice skating coach Evgenia Shishkova and her husband Vadim Naumov, both former figure skating world champions, were also aboard the plane. They were also members of the Skate Club of Boston community, joining the staff in 2017 as instructors. The Russian couple won the world championships in pairs figure skating in 1994 and have reportedly lived in the U.S. since 1998, where they trained young ice skaters. The couple's son Maxim, who competed for the U.S. in singles events, was not on the flight despite earlier reports that he was traveling with his parents. Zeghibe confirmed that Maxim departed Wichita on Monday. Married flight attendant 'died doing what he loved' Ian Epstein's family confirmed the flight attendant was one of the crew who lost his life in the crash. His devastated wife of 23 years, Debi Epstein, confirmed his death in a Facebook post with 'a very heavy heart and extreme sadness.' Epstein 'died doing what he loved,' his wife told Queen City News, adding that he was always considered a 'comedian' on his flights and 'everyone loved him.' His daughter is getting married in eight weeks. Flight attendant who was fulfilling her dreams Danasia Elder was identified by her brother-in-law, Brandon Payne, as another one of the flight attendants on the commercial flight. "She was a great wife, a great parent, a great friend," Payne told WSOC-TV in Charlotte, North Carolina. "She was very bright, very smart. She was an entrepreneur. This flight attendant thing was kind of like one of her dreams she wanted to do." Payne is proud of his sister-in-law chasing his dreams, he told the channel. "She would want y'all do the same thing she did. Chase your dreams, no matter what. Don't let nothing scare you, push you away. Just believe in yourself, believe in God, and follow the path," Payne said. Soldiers on Black Hawk helicopter The helicopter, on a training flight, was carrying three soldiers. The Crew Chief was Ryan O'Hara, a father-of-one, according to a Facebook post by Parkview High School JROTC in Atlanta, has since been removed. 'Ryan is fondly remembered as a guy who would fix things around the ROTC gym as well as a vital member of the Rifle Team. Ryan leaves behind a wife and 1-year-old son,' the school wrote about its former student in a statement, WSB-TV Atlanta reports. Andrew Eaves was also on the army helicopter, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said on X. In a Facebook post on Thursday, Eaves' wife, Carrie Eaves said: "We ask that you pray for our family and friends and for all the other families that are suffering today. We ask for peace while we grieve," the post read. "These families' children do not need to suffer more pain.' The bodies of the military members have all been recovered, the Associated Press reported. Woman who texted husband minutes before the crash Asra Hussain Raza, 26, sent a text from the doomed flight to her husband, Hamaad, saying she would land in about 20 minutes. Waiting at the airport, 25-year-old husband Hamaad Raza, 25, never received another message, his father, Hashim Raza, told Reuters. "Asra was everything to us," Hashim Raza, holding back tears with a quavering voice, said in a telephone interview. "And now my son is a widower at 25. What do I say to him? They planned to have children, they were so much looking forward to that." The couple met at Indiana University Bloomington, where she studied corporate finance and was a straight-A student. 'Radiant soul' and loving mother with two small children Charlotte resident Wendy Jo Shaffer devoted her life to her family, including her two small children, ages 1 and 3, friends said on Thursday. Her death was confirmed by husband Nate in an X post. "Wendy was not just beautiful on the outside, but was a truly amazing woman through and through. She was the best wife, mother, and friend that anyone could ever hope for. Her love, kindness, and strength touched everyone she met." A GoFundMe page set up to raise money for her family described her as a "radiant soul." It added: 'Her boys were her greatest pride and joy, and she dreamed of watching them grow into the amazing individuals she knew they would become." Former figure skater Alexandr Kirsanov was returning from a training camp when he died in the crash, his wife Natalia Goudin confirmed. Born on August 17, 1978, Kirsanov had skated in the United States and Russia. Goudin reportedly spoke to her husband before he boarded, according to reports. Inna Volyanskaya, another former skater who competed for the Soviet Union, was also on the flight, according to Virginia Rep. Suhas Subramanyam who shared the news in a post on X (formerly Twitter.) She was an ice skating coach for Ashburn Ice House in Virginia. Young civil rights attorney Kiah Duggins, who was on her way home to Washington D.C. from Kansas, worked as an attorney for the Civil Rights Corps. The 30-year-old had been in Wichita to be with her mother during a surgical procedure, according to KMUW. Duggins' family members confirmed to the outlet on Thursday that she was onboard the flight. Her father, Maurice Duggins, said in a statement: 'We are coming to terms with the grief associated with the loss of our beautiful and accomplished firstborn. Please respect our family's privacy at this time.' Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia confirmed that ' multiple victims' of the fatal crash were former students. 'This unimaginable loss has deeply affected our community, and with great sorrow, we have learned that multiple victims were former LCPS students,' superintendent Dr. Aaron Spence said in a statement. 'Many other Loudoun families have also been impacted, and we extend our deepest condolences to all those grieving in the wake of this tragedy.' Their names have not been released. People on board the commercial flight include residents of Russia, Germany and the Philippines, senator Maria Cantwell said. Two Chinese citizens were killed in the crash, China's foreign ministry revealed on its website, in a post offering deep condolences over the disaster.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
What to know so far about the figure skaters involved in DC plane crash
As many as 14 skaters who were on board the American Eagle flight involved in a midair collision with an Army helicopter near Washington, D.C., on Jan. 29 are feared dead, Doug Zeghibe, the Skating Club of Boston's CEO and executive director said Thursday. The names of six people on board the flight have been released by the Skating Club of Boston. Two teen figure skaters, Jinna Han and Spencer Lane, were affiliated with the club and were on board the flight, the club shared in a social media announcement. Han's mother, Jin Han, and Lane's mother, Christine Lane, were also on the flight. Twelve-year-old Brielle Beyer and her mother were also on board, a family member confirmed to NBC News. 'Our sport and this Club have suffered a horrible loss with this tragedy,' Zeghibe said in a statement shared on social media. Two coaches, married couple and former Russian world champions Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, were also on board, the club said. Zeghibe added that the athletes, parents and coaches were returning from U.S. Figure Skating's National Development Camp following the U.S. Championships in Wichita, Kansas. The camp was for young competitive skaters 'with the most promise to be a champion of tomorrow,' he said. Zeghibe told reporters Jan. 30 that as many as 14 skaters, coaches and parents in total returning home from the training camp in Wichita had been on board the flight. U.S. Figure Skating, the national governing body for figure skating in the U.S., also released a statement on the crash, confirming that 'several members of our skating community' were on board the flight. 'We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims' families closely in our hearts,' the organization said. 'We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available.' United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland mourned the "profound loss" of the passengers on the flight in a statement. "Among those lost were talented athletes, dedicated coaches, and beloved family members from the U.S. Figure Skating community, all returning home from the National Development Camp. These Olympic hopefuls represented the bright future of Team USA, embodying the very essence of what it means to represent our country — perseverance, resilience and hope. They were remarkable young people and talents, passionately pursuing their dreams, and they will forever hold a cherished place in the Team USA family," the statement continued. At around 9 p.m. ET on Jan. 29, American Eagle Flight 5342 collided in midair with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, which had been conducting a training mission. Both aircrafts fell into the Potomac River. Authorities say no survivors are expected in the crash, and a recovery mission is currently underway. Sixty passengers and four crew members were on board the American Eagle flight, the airline's parent company, American Airlines, said in a statement. Three people were on board the military helicopter, an Army official said. Here's what to know about the victims in the skating community. Spencer Lane was an up-and-coming figure skater whom Zeghibe described as a 'young phenom.' 'Spencer, in the best way possible, was a crazy kid, highly talented. Like, incredibly talented,' Zeghibe told reporters, describing him as 'very fun, very cerebral.' Zeghibe said Lane had 'only been with the sport a couple of years, and was just rocketing to the top, and his parents were working to support that.' Lane's mother, Christine Lane, was also on board the flight. Zeghibe described Jinna (pronounced "Jeena") Han as 'just a wonderful kid, wonderful parents, great athlete, great competitor, loved by all.' He also shared that the club had a close relationship with the Han family. He offered kind words about Jinna's mother, Jin Han, who was on board the American Eagle flight. 'I would say Jin (was) one of the most wonderful, pleasant, polite, smiling, just fantastic, fantastic member of the club,' he told reporters. 'Never a discouraging word, always appreciative, always supportive of not just Jinna, her daughter, but every athlete, just role model parents in youth sport.' Brielle Beyer, 12, was on the flight with her mother, Justyna Magdalena Beyer, Justyna's sister, Mariola Witkowska, confirmed to NBC News. Brielle and her mother were from a Virginia suburb of Washington. 'We're heartbroken. We're just in shock,' Witkowska said. Calling Brielle "an excellent skater," Witkowska said "ice skating was pretty much her life." 'She was extremely intelligent for her age, very very smart girl," Brielle said. Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were celebrated figure skating coaches and former Russian world champions. They were also married. Shishkova, 52, and Naumov, 55, were two-time Olympians, competing in the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, and the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, according to the Skating Club of Boston. They both had decades of coaching experience in competitive single and pair skating. Former pair skater Inna Volyanskaya was on board the flight, her ex-husband, Ross Lansel, confirmed to NBC Washington. Volyanskaya was a coach at Virginia's Ashburn Ice House. Volyanskaya had competed internationally for the Soviet Union. 'She was one of the best skaters I've ever seen, honestly. She was one of the best pair girls to skate,' Lansel told NBC Washington. 'Just knowing the impact she made to all the skaters and everyone just hurts my soul and just I wish all those kids that she taught, just my condolences and I wish them — all my prayers go out to them," he added. "I wish them the best of life and everything because I know it's going to be so hard without her. It's tough because as a figure skating coach, you mean a lot to these kids and you're like the individual person for them." This article was originally published on
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
DC plane crash victims: What we know about those aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, Army Black Hawk
Dozens of people are dead after a regional jet collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter Wednesday night over Washington, D.C., officials said, the nation's first major commercial airline crash since 2009. The aircraft went down in the frigid Potomac River, breaking into multiple pieces. The flight -- which had departed from Wichita, Kansas -- was approaching Reagan National Airport at the time of the collision, officials said. There were no survivors in the crash, officials said Thursday. MORE: What to know about the deadly American Airlines and Black Hawk helicopter collision There were 64 passengers aboard the plane, and three Army soldiers in the helicopter, according to officials. The soldiers, none of whom were senior leaders, were conducting a training mission, a defense official said. Among those lost in the crash were 14 people who were returning home from a national figure skating development camp in Wichita, according to Doug Zeghibe, the CEO and executive director for the Skating Club of Boston. Here is a look at some of the victims. Six of the victims were affiliated with the Skating Club of Boston, Zeghibe said. "Skating is a tight-knit community where parents and kids come together 6 or 7 days a week to train and work together. Everyone is like family," Zeghibe said in a statement. MORE: DC plane crash live updates: No survivors expected, soldiers on helicopter had night vision goggles The U.S. Figure Skating organization confirmed that "several members" of the skating community had been on the flight. "We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims' families closely in our hearts," the organization said. "We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available." Here's what we know about the victims so far: Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, a married couple, were killed in the crash, according to the Skating Club of Boston. Naumov and Shishkova, who were figure skating coaches, were world champions in pairs competition in 1994. They joined the club in 2017, Zeghibe said. Jinna Han, a figure skater, and Jin Han, her mother, were killed in the crash, according to the Skating Club of Boston. Skater Spencer Lane and his mother, Christine Lane, were among the victims, the Skating Club of Boston said. Doug Lane, Spencer's father and Christine's husband, told WCVB he and his wife adopted Spencer from South Korea. Spencer Lane, 16, "just had amazing athletic abilities," and once he got interested in something, "you couldn't stop him," his father said. The teen decided to try skating three years ago after seeing Nathan Chen in the Olympics and "committed himself to it," his dad said. Christine Lane, 49, who worked as a graphic designer, was "such a beautiful person" who "just connected with everyone," he said. She had just gotten her real estate license, and was also a talented quilter and volunteered at a local animal rescue, he added. His wife would "do everything for her children, including fly to Wichita, Kansas, for a week," Doug Lane said. "She just gave parenting her all." Alexandr Kirsanov was a coach of two of the youth ice skaters on board, his wife, Natalya Gudin, told ABC News. "I lost everything," Gudin said. "I lost my husband, I lost my students, I lost my friends." Gudin said Kirsanov traveled with two youth skaters to attend a development camp in Kansas this week. Gudin, who also coaches students with her husband in Delaware, said she stayed home to be with their other skaters. She last spoke with her husband as he boarded the flight on Wednesday, she said. "I need my husband back," Gudin said. "I need his body back." Samuel Lilley, the first officer on board American Airlines Flight 5342, recently got engaged, his sister, Tiffany Gibson, told ABC News. "He was an amazing person. He loved people. He loved adventure. He loved traveling. He was excited. He was young. He was so young, and he was excited about life and his future and getting a dog and a house and kids. And it's just, this is just tragic," she said. Samuel Lilley's former brother-in-law, Greg Gibson, remembered him for his passion for flying and willingness to help others. Samuel Lilley died on the same flight path his father, Timothy Lilley, flew for years. Timothy Lilley flew Black Hawk helicopters for the Army, transporting passengers over the Potomac River from his base in Virginia. "We were stationed in Virginia, and [Timothy Lilley] flew that same route back and forth to the Pentagon, over and over and over again until he retired," Tiffany Gibson said. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp identified one of the victims as Ryan O'Hara. Kemp offered his condolences to the family of both O'Hara and Lilley, who he said were both from Georgia. "Both of these young Georgians shared a passion for flight and for serving others, and this terrible tragedy is that much more difficult knowing their lives were cut so unexpectedly short," he said in an X post. "Marty, the girls, and I ask that all Georgians join us in keeping their loved ones in our thoughts and prayers." The family of Ian Epstein, the flight attendant onboard American Airlines Flight 5342, is remembering him as a cherished father, husband, brother and stepfather. "Ian Epstein was full of life. He loved being a flight attendant because he truly enjoyed traveling and meeting new people. But his true love was his family. He was a father, a stepfather, a husband and a brother! He will be truly missed. The family appreciates the outpouring of love and support we've received, but at this time we would ask for privacy as we process and grieve our loss," his family said in a statement. The family of one victim, Wendy Jo Shaffer, confirmed she had been on the plane. "We are devastated. Words cannot truly express what Wendy Jo meant as a daughter, a sister, a friend, a wife and most importantly, a mother. The family is requesting privacy at this time," the family said in a statement. Brielle Beyer, 12, and her mother, 42-year-old Justyna, were both killed in the crash, according to Andy Beyer, Brielle's father and Justyna's husband. Andrew is left with the couple's 6-year-old son, he said. Andy Beyer said his wife and daughter were returning from the U.S. Figure Skating National Development Camp in Wichita, Kansas. Brielle was a member of the Skating Club of Northern Virginia and beat cancer when she was just 4 months old. "She was just such a fighter in everything she did," Andy Beyer said of his daughter, in an interview with ABC News. "She just lived life to the fullest with everything." He added, "She was so proud of herself in figure skating for the progress she had made … Making that team was one of her life goals. And she achieved it. And she was just so, so proud of herself." He remembered his daughter's passion and beautiful singing voice. "She just lit up the house with her wonderful voice," he said. Andy Beyer said his wife and daughter had been away for six days for the figure skating camp. "I missed them… Figure skating at that level, it's a lifestyle," he said. "It's a full family commitment." Elizabeth Keys was a Washington-based attorney who caught an early flight home to go on a date for her birthday with her long-term boyfriend David, who remembered Elizabeth for being the person who always "pushed you to be the best version of yourself." Sean Kay was traveling with his skating coach Alexandr Kirsanov after attending the U.S. Figure Skating's National Development Camp. His death was confirmed in a statement by Delaware Sen. Chris Coons. Angela Yang was traveling with her skating coach Alexandr Kirsanov after attending the U.S. Figure Skating's National Development Camp. Her death was confirmed in a statement by Delaware Sen. Chris Coons. Casey Crafton was a father to three sons and husband from Salem, Connecticut. His death was confirmed in a statement by Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont. Grace Maxwell was an engineering student from Wichita, Kansas who was aboard American Airlines 5432, according to a statement from Cedarville University. University president Thomas White described Grace as a "thoughtful, quiet student leader" who helped teach other undergraduates about engineering. She recently signed up to create a hand-stabilizing device to help a disabled child feed himself without assistance from others. "Grace was a quiet person with a keen interest in helping others through engineering," said Tim Norman, her adviser. Olivia Ter, 12, was a treasured member of the Tucker Road Ice Rink in Fort Washington, Maryland, who inspired her peers and coaches, according to a statement from the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. She was one of four elite skaters from her region to attend the U.S. Figure Skating National Development Camp in Wichita, Kansas, and earned praise for her " talent, determination and sportsmanship." "The impact of Olivia's life will continue to resonate in our youth sports community, and she will be sorely missed," stated Bill Tyler, director of the commission's Department of Parks and Recreation in Prince George's County, Maryland. Kiah Duggins was a civil rights attorney and an incoming Howard University professor. Duggins was a Wichita, Kansas, native and attended Wichita State University, received a Fulbright grant, attended law school at Harvard and worked as a civil rights attorney. In the fall, Duggins was planning to begin teaching as a professor at Howard University School of Law. "As a civil rights lawyer, she dedicated her career to fighting against unconstitutional policing and unjust money bail practices in Tennessee, Texas and Washington, D.C," a statement from the university said. Duggins worked to challenge police misconduct, fight cash bail policies, and pursued prison industrial complex abolition, according to her professional biography. She also was a White House intern during the administration of former President Barack Obama. DC plane crash victims: What we know about those aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, Army Black Hawk originally appeared on
