All 67 people on board American Airlines plane and US Army Black Hawk helicopter presumed dead in mid-air collision, leaving trail of grief behind
The deadly crash, the deadliest aviation disaster in the US since 2001, has left a community in mourning. Among the victims are families of a 12-year-old girl who had just celebrated her birthday, a mother and her 11-year-old son, and six figure skaters, coaches, and family members, including a married pair of skating champions, two young skaters, and their parents.
Brielle Beyer, 12, and her mother, Justyna Magdalena Beyer, were among the victims, just weeks after Brielle’s birthday celebration. Her father, Andy Beyer, described the pain and grief as “like a door in my mind I can’t get near.” Justyna was known for being a “big” mom, always making sure her children’s memories were special and memorable.
Another victim is Julia Kay, 38, and her 11-year-old son, Sean, who was a young figure skater at the University of Delaware. Julia’s husband, Vitali Kay, described her as “full of energy” and Sean as “a curious child who loved playing the guitar.”
The US Army has identified two of the three soldiers on board the Black Hawk helicopter: Ryan O’Hara, 28, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39. Eaves was the instructor pilot, with about 1,000 hours of flight experience. The third soldier’s name has not been released.
The pilot who went down with the Black Hawk, Viktor Globus, a 40-year-old from the country of Georgia, was among the dead, according to a statement from the US Department of Defense. He had been flying helicopters for 15 years and had completed over 1,000 hours of flight time.
The victims also included six members of the US Figure Skating Association, including Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, 1994 world figure skating champions in pairs, who had moved to the US after representing Russia. Their son, Maxim Naumov, was just awarded fourth place at the US men’s figure skating championships last weekend.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the skating community, with Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan visiting the Skating Club of Boston to support her friends and colleagues. She described the victims as “some of the most passionate people” in the sport, with a “smile on their face every day.”
The crash has left a profound impact on the skating community and beyond, with many still coming to terms with the loss. As one family wrote in a statement, “The pain is so immense that it’s hard to put into words.”