‘Devastating’: Former Augusta figure skater reacts to crash
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The figure-skating community – including here in the CSRA – is devastated by the loss of more than a dozen of its when a plane and helicopter collided.
The crash happened Wednesday night at Ronald Reagan National Airport outside Washington, D.C.
Although we know two Georgians died – a pilot on the jet and a soldier on the Blackhawk – people in the Peach State are mourning others on the plane, too.
At least 14 were of the figure-skating community returning from an event in Kansas.
Here in the CSRA, we talked with a former skater hoping to honor their legacy in March.
“My husband woke me up this morning and said that there was a plane crash, which was already devastating to hear that,” said Laurie Crane.
She then found out it hit closer to home.
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“Then he told me that it came from Wichita, and it had figure skaters on it, and I immediately knew that we just had the figure skating championships there. So, it just made my heart sink,” said Crane.
Active in the skating community for decades, Crane is a former figure skater and now coach.
“It is a tight-knit community within figure skating, and when you’re a member of that club. You know each other so well, so it’s going to be hard. Going to be real hard,” she said.
Crane says she’s gripped by fear of the unknown and still feeling uneasy.
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“We all didn’t know who was at nationals this year, so we all kind of wondered. Oh, did she go? Did she go? So, I have talked to a few friends and former figure skaters, and we are all just blown away by this,” she said. “I still don’t know if I know someone on that flight and I hope I don’t.”
In March, she will be at the 2025 World Figure Skating Championship hosted by the Boston Figure Skating Club.
Two of that club’s figure skaters were on the flight.
“I know this is going to be such a hard event for them to put on, but hopefully we’ll be doing something to honor their legacy,” said Crane.
Crane says once you’re in the figure skating world, you are family.
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“We may not personally know them. Just it actually makes your heart hurt for them and for their families,” she said.
Crane says she doesn’t know them personally, but she does know almost every figure skater’s goal is the Olympics.
It’s devastating to see their lives taken away before they could get a chance to achieve what they’d hoped to.
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