GILBERT, AZ — As we learn more about the lives lost on the passenger plane that crashed with a military helicopter over the Potomac River in the Washington D.C. area Wednesday night, many of them on that flight were part of the figure skating community heading back from a National Competition.
”When I opened my phone up, it was everywhere,” said Laura Patterson.
When she’s not coaching at AZ Ice in Gilbert, Laura Patterson is an official for US Figure Skating.
She sat rink-side for the U.S. National Competition in Wichita, Kansas last week. As an official, she helped analyze the jumps, steps and spins for skaters who are on the path to possibly one day represent our country at the Olympics.
She even brought some of her Arizona students with her to see the up-and-comers for figure skating.
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”We lost family and I’m sorry,” she said.
As the news about the crash is released, Patterson knows grief will only grow as those on the plane will be identified.
She says some of them shared their talent on the ice just a few days before their lives were cut short.
Patterson says she left on Sunday following the competition, but some skaters stayed for a camp and were on that flight.
”When we talk about 'this is a family,' we spent so much time with our athletes. Hours, every day, 6-7 times a week. We travel with them. It’s more than our normal families. It’s heartbreaking when a piece of this is now missing,” she said.
Despite the grief, Patterson was back on the ice, teaching just hours after she heard the news.
”Hopefully we can all continue with their love and passion for the sport, just as much,” Patterson said.
ABC15 obtained the following statement from U.S. Figure Skating:
U.S. Figure Skating can confirm that several members of our skating community were sadly aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, which collided with a helicopter yesterday evening in Washington, D.C. These athletes, coaches, and family members were returning home from the National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas. We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts. We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available.
