Illinois skaters to honor victims of DC plane crash with memorial performance
Illinois skaters to honor victims of DC plane crash
Three weeks after a devastating plane crash killed 28 members of the U.S. figure skating community, skaters in Illinois are coming together to honor their fallen friends and coaches.
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 Eventbrite.com, with all proceeds going to the families affected by the tragedy.