Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and members of the skating community who have lost loved ones spoke Wednesday at TD Garden ahead of the competition.
Nearly two months after the plane collision over the Potomac River that took the lives of 67 people — among them, members of the elite figure skating community — the tight-knit world of the sport honored those who were lost.
As the skating world descended on Boston for the World Figure Skating Championships, loved ones and city leaders paid tribute to those killed in the tragic crash in Washington.
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"For those who have experienced deep loss," said Jae Youl Kim, president of the International Skating Union. "We know that time does not simply erase pain. For many of us, it feels like we are frozen in time."
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Among the skating victims were six members of the Skating Club of Boston, and 22 from skating clubs in Washington, Virginia and Delaware. They were athletes, parents and coaches.
"For us, seeing some of the people they trained with go on and perform at this level is kind of a reminder of what they were aspiring to," said Doug Lane, who lost his wife, Christine, and his son, Spencer, in the crash.
"Spencer had actually been selected to be an awards presenter at this event, so it was personally meaningful to me, as well," said Lane. "Obviously, my preference would have been to be sitting in the stands with my wife cheering for him."
The tribute, which took place between the women's short program and the pairs short program at TD Garden, included videos of the athletes, who were remembered as the future of the sport.
The skaters were said to be fierce competitors on the ice, and friends who cheered for each other off the ice.
"When tragedy threatens to tear us apart, we come together," said Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. "We lean on community, we keep alive the memories of those we lost."
