AMERICAN figure skating icon Nancy Kerrigan couldn’t hold back her tears over the local figure skaters whose lives were lost in the tragic Washington, DC plane crash on Wednesday night.
The Olympic legend, 55, spoke about the horrific collision of an American Airlines plane and a military helicopter that claimed the lives of all 67 people.
Six of the US Figure Skating members were killed in the plane and helicopter collision, per Skating Club of Boston CEO Doug Zeghibe.
They were affiliated with the Boston skating club where the two-time Olympic medalist Kerrigan is an alumnus.
Kerrigan appeared in a news conference on Thursday at the Skating Club of Boston and was in tears while speaking to reporters about the devastating loss.
“We’ve been through tragedies before as Americans, as people, and we’re strong. I guess it’s how we respond to it and my response is to be with people I care about,” Kerrigan said while alongside the club’s representatives.
“I just wanted to be here and be part of our community.
“I think it’s a shock. … And then when you find out you know some of the people on the plane, it’s … even a bigger blow.”
Kerrigan said she had been awake during the night watching the news coverage of the collision.
She then shared her best wishes to the families suffering through the tragedy and added, “We’ve been through tragedies as Americans, as people, and we are strong, and I guess it’s how we respond to it.”
Kerrigan also gave her thoughts on the two coaches, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who were killed in the crash.
“I never worked with them, I mean we were in the Olympics together but the night before I was kind of busy myself and sort of separated from what was going on, but I’ve seen them a lot of times over the years,” she said.
“Everything you’ve heard about them maybe being a little tough but with a smile on their faces.
“They were always welcoming and happy to see one another.
“To walk in here and not see that I think would be very strange for everybody that comes here. It’s going to be hard.”
Shishkova and Naumov, who were married, won the world championship in pairs figure skating in 1994.
Washington DC plane crash victims
A mid-air collision between American Airlines flight 5342 and a military helicopter on January 29, 2025, left dozens presumed dead. The victims include:
- Captain Jonathan Campos, 34
- First Officer Samuel Lilley, 29
- Flight attendant Ian Epstein
- Flight attendant Danashia Brown Elder
- Spencer Lane, 16
- Christine Lane, 49
- Jinna Han, 13
- Jin Han
- Evgenia Shishkova, 52
- Vadim Naumov, 55
- Alexandr Kirsanov
- Angela Yang
- Sean Kay
- Peter Livingston
- Donna Smojice Livingston
- Everly Livingston, 14
- Alydia Livingston, 11
- Inna Volyanskaya
- Asra Hussain Raza, 26
- Michael Stovall, 40
- Jesse Pitcher, 30
- Elizabeth Anne Keys, 33
- Wendy Jo Shaffer
- Kiah Duggins
- Black Hawk crew chief Ryan O’Hara
The US Figure Skating members were on American Airlines flight 5342 which crashed into a military aircraft over the Potomac River.
It was on its way to Washington National Airport after departing from Wichita, Kansas.
It’s understood the figure skaters participated in a national development camp for up-and-coming young skaters following the U.S. Championships that took place in Wichita – which is where the plane was coming from.
In all, 14 of the victims were coming back from the contest, per the CEO Skating Club of Boston Zeghibe.
