The worst aviation accident in decades has left the United States in shock. The devastating plane crash in D.C. on Wednesday night claimed the lives of sixty-seven people, including the sisters Everly and Alydia Livingston and their parents, Peter and Donna. The Livingston family was one of the numerous people that perished in this terrible catastrophe.
According to WTAJ, a news station in Pennsylvania, passengers on American Airlines Flight 5342 included Donna Smojice Livingston, her husband Peter, and their two kids, Everly, 14, and Alydia, 11.
According to the Daily Mail, Everly and Alydia were both skilled figure skaters who belonged to the Washington Figure Skating Club. They practiced at the Ashburn Ice House, which serves as a gathering place for the local Virginia skating community. Their father took a picture of the girls in Kansas just a few days before the crash, which is one of many treasured recollections of their love of skating and life.
The sisters were well-known on social media as the adored “Ice Skating Sisters,” demonstrating their passion for skating outside of the rink. Five days prior to the horrific incident, the sisters’ final Instagram photo showed them grinning in front of the ice rink at the championships while wearing their “athlete” lanyards with pride. “If you examine Alydia’s badge closely… The caption said, “We were prepared for this from birth.” “But will Livingston at Nationals be this much for @usfigureskating?”
Everly, a 13-year-old figure skating sensation, talked about her accomplishments on the ice with FOX 5 DC just last year. She discussed the difficulties and beauty of the sport in a heartfelt conversation, along with her aspirations for the future. She smiled brightly and stated, “My goals are to actually be a part of Team USA and travel around the world.”.
As soon as U.S. Figure Skating confirmed that a number of its community members were on the trip, condolences began to come in. The tragedy’s profound effects are reflected in the Ashburn Ice House’s expanding memorial. “We send our deepest sympathies to everyone impacted,” the Ashburn Ice House’s administration said in a statement. “Our hearts are broken, and the figure skating community is a close-knit, global family.”
In a social media message, the Nittany Valley Figure Skating Club also shared their sorrow, writing: “Many of us have lost personal friends.” At our upcoming Club Ice, we will observe a moment of silence in memory of the people we have lost.
Australian designer Cassandra Atkins, a family friend, used her company, Frozen Couture, to make the girls personalised skating attire. She never really met the family, but she kept in touch with Donna, sharing videos and pictures of Everly and Alydia.
Their father, Peter, was a real estate agent, and the girls’ mother, Donna, was employed at Comcast. In recent months, they travelled between New Jersey, Michigan, and Virginia, juggling the demands of parenting two skaters and spending numerous nights in motels.
They were regarded as some of the most devoted parents. Atkins told WFLA, “Donna was the ideal mother.” Her universe revolved around the girls. They always added such much enthusiasm to the rink and loved wearing vibrant, eye-catching attire.
Atkins also disclosed that the sisters had trouble staying motionless, even when they weren’t skating. They were roller skating or adding wheels to their boots if they weren’t skating. They always managed to get moving.
A military Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines aircraft collided during a training exercise, resulting in the tragedy. Following the crash, the commercial aircraft, which was getting ready to land at Ronald Reagan National Airport, plunged into the Potomac River.
It was the deadliest air disaster to strike the United States in almost 24 years. Figure skating athletes, coaches, and their families made up a large portion of the passengers on the doomed aircraft, which was travelling from Kansas. The 1994 World Champion pair skaters Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova are among the six confirmed victims by the Skating Club of Boston. The loss of their skaters has left ice rinks on the East Coast of the United States in mourning.
The loss of their skaters has left ice rinks on the East Coast of the United States in mourning. Communities around the country grieve the death of Everly, Alydia, and countless others whose lives were tragically cut short while authorities attempt to determine what caused the tragedy. We shall never forget their lively personalities and passion for skating.
