Defending World Figure Skating champion Ilya Malinin of Northern Virginia fondly recalled his interactions with some of the young figure skaters who died in the tragic January 29 plane crash following his passionate performance in front of a sellout crowd at the Capital One Arena in D.C. Sunday.
Responding to a question from the News-Press in a brief appearance before the media after the huge tribute before 15,000 to the 67 victims of the crash, Malinin, himself only 20, said his memories of those young skaters who perished that practiced with him at the Reston Ice Forum in Northern Virginia were fond ones. He recalled that they looked up to him as they watched him practice as a repeat national and world champion.
The skaters were returning with family members and coaches from a National Development Camp in Wichita, Kansas, following the annual national championships that were being held there. Malinin won his third U.S. championship there earlier in the week.
Malinin, who graduated in 2023 from Marshall High School just up Rt. 7 from the City of Falls Church, provided the final exhibition skate before all participants came out for a grand finale. He performed to the song, “Hope,” by NF. Malinin was among more two dozen other participating skaters, nationally recognized champions from past and present, who performed or spoke at the benefit, with proceeds going to help the families of the survivors and first responders to the incident. He did a particularly emotive performance that included a back flip.
One of the 11 young skating victims on the plane, who with family members and coaches constituted 30 among the 67 total who were killed, was Franco Aparicio of nearby Dunn Loring. He was remembered Sunday by a performance by his 13-year-old sister Isabella. Their father, Luciano, also died in the crash.
Proceeds from the event will support the families and loved ones of the 67 lives lost in the tragic aviation incident at Reagan National Airport on January 29, and the first responders and aviation professionals who responded heroically to the tragedy.
The sellout event of more than 15,000 – including nearly 500 first responders and approximately 150 family members of victims in attendance to honor their loved ones – raised nearly $1.2 million to date, and that sum is expected to increase this month as the event is streaming on Peacock and will be reshow in its entirety on NBC March 30 and viewers are encouraged to donate, and upon the conclusion of an online auction. Donations can also be made directly through LegacyOnIce.com.
“We continue to be in awe of and grateful to this community, whose compassion and support was out in full force for the ‘Legacy on Ice’ event,” said Ted Leonsis, founder, chair and CEO of Monumental Sports which hosted the event. “Against the backdrop of this massive tragedy, this region has provided a light in showcasing its generosity and empathy for the victims, their families, and the heroic first responders.”
The event was announced just one week after the tragedy and was pulled together in just over 30 days and included 37 of the figure skating community’s most iconic athletes and decorated stars, including Brian Boitano and Johnny Weir. The athletes and production team had only scant hours of in-person rehearsal time before going live. Still, the two-hour program came together in nearly flawless execution, pulled together by hundreds of staff working behind the scenes.
Meanwhile, this Monday, U.S. Congressman Don Beyer of Northern Virginia, whose district includes Falls Church and also Reagan National Airport delivered floor remarks during debate on House Resolution 153, “Expressing condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims of the crash of American Eagle Flight 5342 and PAT 25, and for other purposes.” The legislation passed without objection on a voice vote.
Beyer said that each of the victims “was more than a passenger, more than a soldier; they were loved ones—friends, parents, classmates, children, teammates, and colleagues—whose presence made the world better.”
Young skaters lost in the crash were Angela Yang, 11, Sean Kay, 11, Brielle Beyer, 12, Cory Haynos, 15, Edward Zhou, 16, Everly Livingston, 14, Alydia Livingston, 11, Franco Aparicio, 14, Jinna Han, 13, Olivia Eve Ter, 12, and Spencer Lane, 16, along with coaches Alexandr Kirsanov, Inna Volyanskaya, Vadim Naumov, and Evgenia Shishkova.
Participating in Sunday’s benefit were Jeremy Abbott, 2014 Olympic Team Bronze Medalist
Sofia Bezkorovainaya, 2024-25 Team USA, Brian Boitano, 1988 Olympic Champion, Emily Bratti and Ian Somerville, 2024 U.S. Bronze Medalists, Jason Brown, 2014 Olympic Team Bronze Medalist
Ashley Cain, Two-Time U.S. Pairs National Champion, Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko, Two-Time Four Continents Ice Dance Bronze Medalists, Kitty and Peter Carruthers, 1984 Olympic Pairs Silver Medalists, Molly Cesanek and Yehor Yehorov, 2020 U.S. Junior Pewter Medalists
Nathan Chen, Two-Time Olympic Gold Medalist, Madison Chock and Evan Bates, 2022 Olympic Team Gold Medalists, Richard Dwyer, U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Famer, Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov, 2025 U.S. Pairs Champions, Sarah Everhardt, 2025 Four Continents Bronze Medalist
Peggy Fleming, 1968 Olympic Champion, Amber Glenn, 2024 Grand Prix Final Champion
Gracie Gold, 2014 Olympic Team Bronze Medalist, Scott Hamilton, 1984 Olympic Champion
Nancy Kerrigan, 1994 Olympic Silver Medalist, Ilia Kulik, 1998 Olympic Champion, Isabeau Levito, 2024 World Silver Medalist, Alysa Liu, 2022 World Bronze Medalist, Jimmy Ma, 2025 Four Continents Bronze Medalist, Ilia Malinin, 2024 World Champion, Katie McBeath and Daniil Parkman, 2025 U.S. Pairs Silver Medalists, Yebin Mok, 1998-2008 Team USA, Maxim Naumov, 2025 U.S. Pewter Medalist
Camden Pulkinen, Two-Time U.S. Bronze Medalist, Andrew Torgashev, 2025 U.S. Silver Medalist
Michael Weiss, Two-Time World Bronze Medalist, Johnny Weir, Three-Time U.S. Champion, and Paul Wylie, 1992 Olympic Silver Medalist.
