A memorial to the victims of the aircraft tragedy that occurred in Washington, District of Columbia, will include ice skating performances by Olympic medalists Nancy Kerrigan, Kristi Yamaguchi, and Peggy Fleming, among other stars.
During the Legacy on Ice event, which will take place in the nation’s capital on Sunday, March 2, monies will be raised for the families of the 67 individuals who lost their lives in the accident that occurred earlier this year, as well as for the first responders who were engaged in the disaster.
Alongside Yamaguchi, Olympic gold winner Brian Boitano is serving as the event’s co-host alongside Yamaguchi.
“Such an extraordinary number of skating icons have really never been put together like this,” Boitano said in an interview with the Associated Press. “This includes former champions, current champions, and even hopefuls all supporting the cause.” It reveals a great deal about our figure skating community, including how close we are to one another and the tremendous amount of support that we have for one another.
The homage will include more than thirty-dozen figure skaters who are either presently participating or have departed from the sport. Some of these skaters are Nathan Chen, who won two gold medals at the Olympics, and Ilia Kulik, who won the Olympic gold medal in 1998.
On January 29, a Black Hawk helicopter belonging to the United States Army and American Airlines aircraft 5342 collided in the vicinity of Reagan National Airport. It was the deadliest aircraft catastrophe that has occurred in the United States since the year 2001. Skating community members made up 28 of the hundreds of persons that were killed in the incident.
According to a video that was uploaded to the Instagram page of the United States Figure Skating Association, eleven of the fatalities were young skaters who were members of five different organizations.
Samuel Auxier, the interim chief executive officer of the United States Figure Skating Association, issued a statement in which he stated, “They were beloved members of our global skating community, and we mourn their loss together.”
It is impossible for us to forget them. Auxier concluded, “May their zeal and excellence serve as a source of motivation for us and a source of fortitude in the days that lie ahead.” For the time being, our hearts are filled with grief, and we want to express our solidarity with their families and friends as we mourn this incomprehensible loss.
Some weeks later, according to the website of the organization, U.S. Figure Skating has formed a partnership with Monumental Sports & Entertainment and Entertainment Gang in order to organize a benefit event that will take place at the Capital One Arena. The proceeds will be generously distributed to help the relatives of the victims as well as the emergency services. Peacock will broadcast the live stream of Legacy on Ice on March 2 at 3 p.m. Eastern Time, while NBC will broadcast the show on March 30 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time.
Auxier told the Associated Press that it has been “unbelievable” to see figure skating champions from all over the world coming together to show their support for this event. “The passion, dedication, and legacy of this sport are accurately reflected in the historic star power that is currently on display.”
Kerrigan and Paul Wylie, another Olympic skater, will be representing the Skating Club of Boston, which, according to the site, suffered the loss of two skaters, two instructors, and two parents as a result of the catastrophic accident.
At the beginning of this month, Fleming thought on the effect that the recent accident had on her and how it evoked memories from her past.
“The skating world is mourning the heartbreaking plane crash that took the lives of young skaters, coaches, and families,” Fleming, who won the sole Olympic gold for the United States during the 1968 Grenoble Winter Games, posted on Instagram. Fleming was 76 years old at the time of the crash. The lives and hopes of these brilliant and talented athletes, some of whom may have been future Olympians, were brutally cut short. Some of them may have been able to compete in the Olympics. Everyone who is suffering from this unfathomable tragedy has my deepest sympathies.
She went on to say, “This tragedy brings back painful memories of 1961, when a plane crash took the lives of the entire United States Figure Skating team, including my coach.” In addition to the shock and loss, I will always remember the stillness that prevailed in the rinks, as well as the way in which our community joined together and continued to live in their honor.
