Potomac Crash

Memorial held for skaters, family of Ashburn Ice House killed in Potomac crash

NBC Universal, Inc.

A private memorial was held at the Ashburn Ice House Sunday morning to honor the victims of the Potomac River crash.

Fourteen people with ties to that ice skating rink were on the American Airlines flight.

“Even though everybody is still majorly devastated, it’s a lot of love,” Choreographer Jimmie Manners said. “A lot of hugs.”

This was the home rink of four elite figure skaters and one of their coaches.

“Yeah there’s tears, of course,” Manners said. “I keep finding myself in and out of that.”

Manners knows those lost lives well. He’s a choreographer at the Ice House.

Manners worked closely with the Livingston family, Alydia, 11, Everly, 14 and their parents Peter and Donna.

“Alydia was so full of life everywhere,” He said. “Always bubbly… Everly was the oldest, but she was like the emotional one.”

The family of four was on that flight heading back from a skating training development camp.

Community members have now placed flowers outside their home.

“Literally, I had a lesson with them on Thursday, and I had just talked with their mom because she was trying to set up their schedule literally the day before,” Manners said.

Manners is also remembering coach Inna Volyanskaya who the kids called, “Coach Inna V.”

She is a former pair skater from the Soviet Union who performed across the world.

“She was a beautiful soul,” Manners said. “She welcomed me. Especially being that I’m an unorthodox coach. I don’t ice skate. I literally stand on the ice with my kicks.”

He says this community gripped by this unthinkable tragedy will lean on one another.

“It’s a lot of support, you know, and it’s brought us even closer together, and especially for the little ones," Manners said. "They need it right now. We lost little ones those were their best friends.”

An online fundraiser has been started for the loved ones of the victims who were killed in that horrific crash that used the Ashburn Ice House and the MedStar Capitals Iceplex.

Contact Us