TREMENDOUS LOSS. THE SKATERS THAT WERE ON THAT PLANE WERE SOME OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE SKATERS THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN. AND THEIR LOSS WILL BE FELT FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME. SARAH SEBRING IS 16 AND HAS BEEN FIGURE SKATING SINCE KINDERGARTEN. BEFORE TRAINING IN ALLEGHENY COUNTY AT THE ROBERT MORRIS UNIVERSITY ISLAND SPORTS CENTER, SHE LIVED AND SKATED IN WASHINGTON, DC. I WAS FIRSTLY HORRIFIED BECAUSE I HAD LIKE, I HAVE SO MANY CONNECTIONS DOWN THERE, EVEN THOUGH I LIVE IN PENNSYLVANIA NOW. SARAH PERSONALLY KNEW AT LEAST SIX PEOPLE WHO WERE ON THE AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT THAT COLLIDED WITH A MILITARY HELICOPTER WEDNESDAY NIGHT, AND I KEPT JUST PRAYING AND HOPING THAT THEY WEREN’T, AND JUST THINKING IT WAS MAYBE A FLUKE UNTIL ALL OF THEIR NAMES ARE OFFICIALLY RELEASED. SHE’S CHOOSING NOT TO IDENTIFY THEM OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE FAMILIES. THE ONES THAT I KNEW WERE YOUNGER. A FEW YEARS YOUNGER TO MAYBE LIKE A YEAR. YEAH, THEY WERE MOSTLY YOUNGER THAN ME. SARAH SAYS MANY OF THE PEOPLE ON THAT PLANE WERE AT A FIGURE SKATING CAMP THAT WAS BEING HELD AFTER NATIONALS IN WICHITA, KANSAS. IT WAS A REWARD FOR DOING WELL FOR THE SEASON. THEY GOT TO GO TO THIS SPECIALIZED CAMP, AND THOSE WERE THE PEOPLE THAT WERE ON THE PLANE. THESE WERE THE UP AND COMING, THESE WERE POSSIBLE OLYMPIANS. TWO OLYMPICS FROM NOW, FIGURE SKATING PROFESSIONAL RACHEL LANE MCCARTHY ALSO KNEW MANY PEOPLE ON THAT DEADLY FLIGHT. THERE WERE COACHES AND SKATERS THAT I KNEW ON THAT PLANE AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS AS WELL. THERE WERE SOME FAMILIES THAT LOST THE WHOLE FAMILY ON THE PLANE. FAMILIES OF FIVE. FAMILIES OF SIX. THE SKATING DIRECTOR AT THE SPORTS CENTER SAYING, THIS IS HITTING SO CLOSE TO HOME FOR ALL OF HER SKATERS. YOU KNOW THESE PEOPLE, AND EVEN IF YOU DON’T KNOW THEM PERSONALLY, YOU KNOW THE LIFE THAT THEY LIVE. THEY KNOW THE PASSION THAT THEY HAVE FOR THIS SPORT AND JUST WHAT IT MEANS TO JUST SEE IT SO TRAGICALLY TAKEN AWAY FROM ALL OF THOSE KIDS WHO I CAN JUST IMAGINE WERE COMING BACK FROM THIS CAMP WITH THEIR COACHES SO FULL OF LIKE, EXCITEMENT AND NEW GOALS FOR THE NEXT SEASON. AS THESE FIGURE SKATERS ALL TRY TO COMPREHEND HOW THIS TRAGEDY HAPPENED. MANY STILL CHOSE TO HIT THE ICE TODAY AND SKATE, KNOWING THEIR GRIEVING TOGETHER. I KNEW THAT EVERYONE HERE WOULD ALSO BE FEELING THE SAME WAY. SO I TOOK COMFORT NOT IN THEIR SADNESS, BUT THAT KNOWING THAT THIS W

IUP graduate, husband and 2 daughters killed in American Airlines, helicopter collision

A graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania and her family are among those killed in a deadly mid-air collision between a passenger jet and an Army helicopter.VIDEO ABOVE: Pittsburgh-area skaters remembering the victimsDonna Smojice Livingston, her husband and their two daughters were killed as the American Airlines plane attempted to land at Ronald Regan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C. Her daughters, Everly and Alydia, were both members of the Washington Figure Skating Club. On Friday, Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s assistant vice president for university advancement released a statement.“We share in the nation’s grief and heartbreak over this terrible tragedy,” Jennifer Dunsmore said. “It touches us very personally, as this loss includes members of the IUP family, Donna Smojice Livingston, her husband, and their two daughters. As an IUP community, we join the Livingstons’ family and friends in mourning their passing and all the lives lost in this accident.” Livingston and her family are among 67 people on either aircraft who are believed dead. Sixty-four of the 67 were on board American Airlines Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, to DCA.Viewing in the app? Click here to learn more about those who were onboard.

A graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania and her family are among those killed in a deadly mid-air collision between a passenger jet and an Army helicopter.

VIDEO ABOVE: Pittsburgh-area skaters remembering the victims

Donna Smojice Livingston, her husband and their two daughters were killed as the American Airlines plane attempted to land at Ronald Regan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C.

Her daughters, Everly and Alydia, were both members of the Washington Figure Skating Club.

On Friday, Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s assistant vice president for university advancement released a statement.

“We share in the nation’s grief and heartbreak over this terrible tragedy,” Jennifer Dunsmore said. “It touches us very personally, as this loss includes members of the IUP family, Donna Smojice Livingston, her husband, and their two daughters. As an IUP community, we join the Livingstons’ family and friends in mourning their passing and all the lives lost in this accident.”

Livingston and her family are among 67 people on either aircraft who are believed dead. Sixty-four of the 67 were on board American Airlines Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, to DCA.

Viewing in the app? Click here to learn more about those who were onboard.


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