Megha Chitrakar

A moment of silence was held at “Legacy on Ice,” during which audience members lit up the arena using their cell phone flashlights. “It felt so beautiful [to see] how the arena was packed with people who admire the sport or who are friends and family,” freshman Megha Chitrakar said. “I think it showed them how close of a community we are and hopefully they felt part of it in a way.”

On March 2, more than 15,000 people gathered at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., for “Legacy on Ice.” Co-hosted by Olympic champions Brian Boitano and Kristi Yamaguchi, the live figure skating tribute served as both a memorial and fundraiser, honoring the 67 lives lost in the Jan. 29 midair collision between a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines plane over the Potomac River. Among the victims were 11 young figure skaters, all between the ages 11 and 16, who were returning from the High Performance National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas. The crash also claimed the lives of four coaches and 13 family members.

In a powerful display of solidarity, the figure skating community came together in a moving tribute, doing what they do best: skating. More than 40 current and retired Team USA skaters took part.

“It was really beautiful,” freshman Megha Chitrakar said, an ice dancer from Ashburn Ice House who trained with several of the victims. “They had a lot of skaters from my rink skate in homage to their coach, Coach Inna. A lot of Olympians also performed in tribute. It was just really nice how the community came together.”

Freshman Aiden Lee, a hockey player who shared a home rink with some of the victims, echoed these sentiments.

“Seeing all the different rinks, figure skaters, hockey players, friends and family of the victims collectively mourning [those] we lost shows how tightly-knit the skating world is,” Lee said. “Having so many accomplished figure skaters perform, as well as rinks from all over the country paying tribute, reflects the scope of whom this tragedy has affected.”

Anne Valerie Ter, 14, who lost her sister, Olivia Eve Ter, 12, and mother, Olesya Taylor, 50, in the crash, was one of approximately 150 family members of the victims in attendance.

“It was absolutely heartwarming to see so many people there for support,” Ter said. “I didn’t think there would be any group numbers, or that this many people would be there. It was a beautiful show, so well-prepared for the short amount of time, and it definitely supported all the families [who were] impacted by this.”
For senior Micayla Pang, a figure skater from Ashburn Ice House who lost her coach and several close friends in the crash, the event was deeply personal.
“Inna Volyanskaya was my figure skating coach for seven years,” Pang said. “She was not just my coach, but my second mom, mentor, and travel buddy. My favorite memories with her include our pre-competition ritual, going to Panera Bread–her favorite place–a thousand times, and choreographing my routines together.”
Pang also spoke about her close bond with the Aparicio family, who lost Franco, 14, and Luciano, 48, in the crash.
“Luciano Aparicio was the father of my best friend, Isabella, who is 16, and Franco Aparicio was her younger brother. My favorite memories are all the car rides I had with them since Luciano would drive me back from the rink every day,” Pang said. “Luciano told the funniest stories and jokes, and Franco was a top-notch baker who made delicious cheesecakes and cinnamon rolls. They both had such kind and generous hearts.”
The Livingstons—Alydia “Liddy”, 11; Everly “Evy”, 14; and their parents, Peter and Donna, both 48—were a family of four who perished in the crash and were also part of Pang’s rink family.
“They were at the rink 24/7—it was basically their home,” Pang said. “My favorite memories include our yearly Secret Santa party, post-competition dinners, and sleepovers at their house. I loved playing with their dog, Emmy.”

Ter remembered her sister, Olivia, as a bright light in every room she entered.
“Olivia was always very positive, very happy,” Ter said. “She made sure other people were happy, too, and she wanted to have positive energy [surrounding] her.

I think a lot of people do remember her like that. She was always very friendly, and always wanted to make sure people [were] doing okay.”
Ter’s mother, Olesya, was the same way—selfless and deeply devoted to her daughters.
“She always put everybody’s needs in front of her [own],” Ter said. “She would always cancel things of her own just to drive me and my sister around. Everyone knew how much she sacrificed for us.”
The young skaters who lost their lives in the crash were more than just outstanding competitors; they represented the future of U.S. figure skating.
“[They] were the next generation of Team USA competitors and future Olympians,” Pang said. “Their passion for skating and vigor in their training was such an inspiration to me. They, alongside their parents on that plane, dedicated their lives to excelling in the sport they were passionate about. The coaches lost were the guiding light [that] helped bring their skaters to the National Development Camp, which is a huge honor for figure skaters to attend.”
One of the evening’s most powerful performances came from Isabella Aparicio, who honored her brother, Franco Aparicio, and father, Luciano Aparicio, by skating to a recording of her father playing Johann Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” on classical guitar.

“To go out there and perform in front of thousands of people while grieving the loss of family members and listening to a recording of her dad’s music requires a different kind of strength,” Lee said.

Maxim Naumov also delivered a deeply symbolic tribute to his parents, former world champion pairs skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov.

“I think it touched everybody,” Ter said. “In the beginning, he metaphorically grabbed their hands and started skating, and at the end, he let them go. It was such a powerful moment.”

Many of the young figure skaters who passed away had admired the performers who took the ice in their honor, making the tribute even more meaningful.

“I know my friends really looked up to all the athletes that performed that night and had dreams of one day being like them,” a Jefferson senior and former skater who trained alongside four of the victims and asked to remain anonymous said. “They would have been honored and overjoyed that these athletes came to skate in their memory.”

Beyond “Legacy on Ice,” the skating community continues to find meaningful ways to honor and remember the victims, both nationally and locally.

Most recently, on March 26, during the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, the victims were honored in a poignant tribute. A video montage played on the arena’s screens, featuring photos of the skaters, their families and their coaches.

Pairs skaters Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov, who train at the Skating Club of Boston, also held up photos of their late clubmates and their family members in the kiss-and-cry area after their short program earlier that day.

Closer to home, many local rinks have set up memorials to honor those lost.

Lee’s home rink, MedStar Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, hosted a memorial skate and set up a memorial by the ice.

“MedStar is also making a permanent glass display of the skaters, including the pictures from the first tribute and other items to remember them,” Lee said.

At Ashburn Ice House, Chitrakar and Pang’s home rink, the lobby transformed into a sea of flowers, photos, and stuffed animals. The rink also held a candlelight skate, offering skaters a space to honor their friends’ memories and find solace on the ice.

“The whole lobby was filled with flowers, and the skate was really beautiful because we got to talk to our friends who felt just as confused as we did,” Chitrakar said.

“We placed candles and flowers on the ice, skated in the candlelight, hugged,

held hands, and cried together,” Pang said. “It was painful, but also healing to let out my emotions and grieve with the skating community.”

To Ter, continuing to skate is one of the most meaningful tributes.

“My mom and my sister both really loved figure skating—it was their whole life,” Ter said. “My friends [have been] going ice skating quite often in memory of them. My mom spent almost all of her last five years on the ice rink because she was so supportive of Olivia. I think that’s the main takeaway—you should always support dreams. My mom fully supported Olivia’s dreams, and that got her to the training camp.”

Pang hopes that people outside the skating community understand the depth of this tragedy.

“This tragedy has brought an unmendable pain to the figure skating community and has shattered many families,” Pang said. “No one should have to endure the premature loss of a family member, much less multiple members and the victims’ families need as much support as they can get.”

At the time of publication, “Legacy on Ice” has raised over $1.2 million through the U.S. Figure Skating Family Support Fund, providing aid to first responders and victims’ families. For those who missed the live event, “Legacy on Ice” will be rebroadcast on NBC on March 30 at 1 p.m. ET, offering a broader audience the opportunity to witness the remarkable power of the skating community in honoring those they lost.

“Franco, Evy, and Liddy—you had so many performances left for the world to enjoy, and so much talent that should have been realized,” Pang said in memory of her friends and coach. “I’m sorry you were taken so soon. Coach Inna, I couldn’t have achieved anything without your tough love, painful classes, and motivating pep talks. Donna, Peter, and Luciano—I am forever grateful for every bit of love you showed me, through carpools, hugs, food, and support at competitions. It was a true pleasure to know you all—your energy enlivened the rink, and it will never be the same without you.”