Scott Hamilton emotionally reacted to the recent American Airlines plane crash that killed 14 young skaters.
“It’s been overwhelming,” Hamilton, 66, said through tears during the Friday, January 31, episode of the Today show. “It’s beyond the skating community. So many people see this tragedy and the loss of these brilliant young skaters who have poured their lives into building an identity in our sport. For their lives to be taken … is just devastating [and] shocking. It just doesn’t make any sense.”
He added, “This is where the community comes together. It’s a very tight-knit, very close-knit, very wonderful, caring, supportive community. We’re no stranger to tragedy, but this is just beyond devastation.”
News broke on Wednesday, January 29, that a commercial flight traveling from Wichita, Kansas crashed into Washington, D.C.’s Potomac River after a collision with a military helicopter. The U.S. Figure Skating organization later confirmed that 14 of its young athletes were onboard.
14 Figure Skaters Killed in American Airlines Plane Crash: ‘Lost Family’
“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.” a statement from the skating organization read on Thursday. “These athletes, coaches and family members were returning home from National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.”
The statement added, “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.”
The young skaters were joined by parents, coaches and approximately 40 other passengers and four crew members. Among the victims were Skating Club of Boston coaches Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, whom Hamilton met during the 1994 Olympics.
Figure Skaters Share Tributes After Fatal Potomac River Plane Crash
“When you’re in skating, there are no national boundaries,” Hamilton, who won one Olympic gold medal in the sport, recalled of the “wonderful and kind” couple. “We all have a shared experience and we understand what it takes to get to that level. Shishkova and Naumov were amazing champion skaters [who wanted] to build their professional lives in America.”
He continued, “To think that they’re gone. … I can’t wrap my head around the last 36 hours. It’s just been devastating. The loss is just beyond description and my heart is shattered.”
Shishkova and Naumov shared son Maxim, an aspiring skater himself but wasn’t onboard the American Airlines flight.
“Max, he’s an extraordinary talent. A few years ago at one of our Sk8 to Elimin8 Cancer events, he put on a skin-head wig and skated to ‘Walk This Way’ in tribute to me,” Hamilton said, referring to his cancer battle. “He’s got a great sense of humor. I actually sat with him for a nice visit in Wichita. … It’s just unthinkable what’s happened.”
