The nation continues to grapple with the devastation of the worst aviation disaster in decades, as the tragic D.C. plane crash claims the lives of 67 individuals, including the Livingston family. Among the victims were parents Donna and Peter Livingston and their two daughters, Everly, 14, and Alydia, 11, whose passion for figure skating had made them beloved members of the Washington Figure Skating Club.
In the days leading up to the tragedy, the family had been in Kansas, supporting Everly and Alydia as they competed at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. A final social media post captured a moment of pride and joy, with the sisters beaming in front of the ice rink, wearing their ‘athlete’ lanyards. Their caption playfully reflected their excitement: “We were born ready for this. But is @usfigureskating ready for this much Livingston at Nationals?”
Everly, a rising star in the figure skating community, had shared her aspirations in an interview with FOX 5 DC just last year, expressing her dream of joining Team USA and traveling the world. Their love for skating extended beyond competitions, as they were widely recognized on social media as the “Ice Skating Sisters,” inspiring young skaters with their dedication and enthusiasm.
Tributes have poured in from the figure skating world, with U.S. Figure Skating confirming the presence of athletes, coaches, and family members on the ill-fated flight. The Ashburn Ice House, where the Livingston sisters trained, has become a site of mourning, with management expressing heartbreak over the tragedy. The Nittany Valley Figure Skating Club also honored the victims, stating they would observe a moment of silence in their memory.
Cassandra Atkins, an Australian designer who created custom skating outfits for Everly and Alydia, shared her grief over the loss of a family she had come to know through photos and videos. She described Donna as the ultimate supportive mother and recalled how the sisters never stopped moving, roller skating when they weren’t on the ice. Their passion for life was evident in everything they did.
Donna, who worked at Comcast, and Peter, a real estate agent, were deeply committed to their daughters’ careers, balancing demanding travel schedules and competition commitments. Their unwavering dedication to their daughters’ dreams made them well-known figures in the figure skating community.
The crash, the deadliest air disaster in the U.S. in nearly 24 years, occurred when American Airlines Flight 5342 collided with a military Black Hawk helicopter conducting a training exercise. The impact sent the plane spiraling into the Potomac River, resulting in a catastrophic loss of life. Many passengers, including six members of the Skating Club of Boston, were key figures in the figure skating world, including former world champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov.
Communities across the country continue to mourn the loss of Everly, Alydia, and the many others whose lives were tragically cut short. Investigators are working to uncover the cause of the crash, while the figure skating community pays tribute to those lost, ensuring their legacies live on.