The United States is still suffering from the greatest aviation accident in decades.
Sixty-seven people died in the horrific D.C. plane crash Wednesday night, including sisters Everly and Alydia Livingston and their parents, Donna and Peter.
This catastrophic calamity claimed the lives of many people, including the Livingston family.
Last post on social media
According to WTAJ, Donna Smojice Livingston, her husband Peter, and their two kids, Everly, 14, and Alydia, 11, were on American Airlines Flight 5342.
According to the Daily Mail, Everly and Alydia were skilled figure skaters who belonged to the Washington Figure Skating Club. They trained at the Ashburn Ice House in Virginia, which serves as a hub for the local skating community.
Just days before the disaster, their father took a snapshot of the girls in Kansas, which is one of many cherished recollections of their love of life and skating.
The sisters’ passion for skating extended beyond the rink; they were widely known on social media as the beloved “Ice Skating Sisters.”
Their last Instagram image, only five days before the horrific incident, showed the sisters beaming in front of the ice rink during the championships, proudly wearing their ‘athlete’ lanyard.
“Look closely at Alydia’s badge…” The caption stated, “We were born ready for this.” “But is @usfigureskating ready for this much Livingston at Nationals?”
Everly, 13, spoke with FOX 5 DC last year about her accomplishments on the rink, as she quickly rose to prominence in the figure skating world. In a poignant conversation, she discussed the sport’s challenges and beauty, as well as her expectations for the future.
“My goals are to actually be a part of Team USA and travel around the world,” she said, beaming brightly.
A family friend recounts their memory.
U.S. Figure Skating reported that several members of their community were on the trip, and tributes flooded in. A rising memorial at the Ashburn Ice House depicts the tragedy’s devastating impact.
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to all affected,” the Ashburn Ice House management said in a statement. “The figure skating community is a close-knit, worldwide family, and our hearts are broken.”
The Nittany Valley Figure Skating Club also shared their sorrow in a social media post, writing, “Many of us have lost personal friends. We will observe a moment of quiet at our next Club Ice in memory of those we have lost.”
Cassandra Atkins, a family friend and Australian designer, designed special skating clothes for the girls through her company Frozen Couture. Though she never saw the family in person, she communicated frequently with Donna, exchanging images and videos of Everly and Alydia.
Donna, the girls’ mother, worked for Comcast, while Peter, their father, was a real estate agent. They were recognized as among the most dedicated parents, juggling the demands of raising two skaters while spending many nights in motels and flying between New Jersey, Michigan, and Virginia in recent months.
“Donna was the perfect mom,” Atkins told WFLA. “The girls were her whole universe. They adored bright, eye-catching clothes and were always a source of delight on the rink.
Atkins also said that the sisters couldn’t stop moving even when they weren’t on the rink.
“If they weren’t skating, they were roller skating or putting wheels on their boots. “They always found a way to move.”
The deadliest air tragedy in 24 years.
The accident occurred when an American Airlines flight collided with a military Black Hawk chopper during a training exercise. Following the accident, the commercial airliner, which was prepared to land at Ronald Reagan National Airport, spiraled into the Potomac River. It was the United States’ deadliest air catastrophe in nearly 24 years.
Many of those on the ill-fated plane from Kansas were figure skaters, instructors, and their families. The Skating Club of Boston has identified six victims, including Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, the 1994 World Champion pair skaters.
Ice rinks on the East Coast of the United States are currently mourning the death of their skaters.
As authorities strive to determine the cause of the crash, communities around the country grieve the death of Everly, Alydia, and the many others whose lives were tragically cut short. Their strong spirits and passion of skating will not be forgotten.