Funeral planned for Delaware skating community members killed in DC plane crash

The Delaware ice skating community is mourning the loss of coach Alexandr 'Sasha' Kirsanov, 11-year-old Sean Kay, his mother Yulia, and 12-year-old Angela Yang along with her mother Zheheng 'Lily' Li, who were killed in a tragic midair collision between an American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army helicopter on January 29. A memorial service will be held on February 22 at the University of Delaware's Fred Rust Ice Arena, where family and friends will gather to pay their respects. The victims were returning from a national development camp in Kansas when the crash occurred, which claimed all 64 lives aboard the plane and three soldiers on the helicopter. In Illinois, skaters are also planning a memorial performance on March 8 to honor the fallen members of the skating community, emphasizing the impact of the tragedy on those who knew them. The event will feature personal tributes from Olympic skaters and aims to support grieving families while fostering healing within the community. Both events highlight the deep connections and shared grief felt across the figure skating world following this devastating loss.