Maxim Naumov wept on his knees at the end of his performance honoring his parents, wiped away tears as he skated off the ice and held an electric candle in the air as applause rained down. Amber Glenn broke down when she finished skating, and so did 13-year-old Isabella Aparicio, who was performing in memory of her brother, Franco, and their father Luciano.鈥淭here was not a dry eye to be found anywhere,鈥� pairs skater Madison Chock said."Legacy on Ice," a benefit concert honoring the 67 victims who died in a midair collision in January, wrapped up in Washington, D.C., Sunday afternoon.Dozens of the top ice skaters in the country, many of whom were friends with some of the victims who died in the crash, performed in front of hundreds, including the first responders who raced in to help the night of the collision. Six of the victims were members of the Skating Club of Boston, who were returning home to New England from a development camp in Wichita, Kansas.Three members of the Skating Club of Boston participated in the tribute, honoring their friends in the best way they know how 鈥� on the ice."It's something that they would want us to do," skater Jimmy Ma said. "After that, it's just everywhere you look around the rink; everywhere you see is a reminder of them.""I hope that it's going to bring some support to the families that need it right now," skater Alisa Efimova said.The performance helped raise money for the families of all who lost loved ones in the crash, including the first responders who helped. More than 500 first responders, many of whom helped during the crash, attended Sunday's performance, showing their support for the skating community and all those who lost loved ones.American icons of the sport Kristi Yamaguchi and Brian Boitano emceed the show, which included performances by the likes of Glenn, Johnny Weir and reigning men's world champion Ilia Malinin, along with poignant tributes to the victims.鈥淲e are not powerless,鈥� Boitano said in opening the show. 鈥淎s skaters, we learned to be resilient and to always find a path forward that is positive.鈥漈ed Leonsis, head of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which staged the event along with U.S. Figure Skating, DC Fire & EMS Foundation and the Greater Washington Community Foundation, hopes doing this at Capital One Arena helps families in the healing process the way concerts and sports at Madison Square Garden did in New York in 2001 after 9/11.鈥淪ports can play this convening and healing role,鈥� Leonsis said. 鈥淥ur goal is to allow the community to heal, kind of a collective hug for these communities, but then we want to raise a lot of money."The dasher boards had 67 stars, one for each of the victims, and skaters put flowers on a rinkside table of candles before beginning their routines.鈥淲e鈥檙e all here to support one another, whether it was our friends that were on that plane, family members, coaches, teammates, loved ones,鈥� said 2014 Olympic team bronze medalist Jason Brown, who skated to 鈥淭he Impossible Dream鈥� by Josh Groban. 鈥淲e all travel for this sport. We get to do what we love. And travel is such a huge part of what we do, so it all hit us really hard because this is just such an integral part of what we do, as well as those are people that we鈥檙e closest to.鈥滸lenn kicked things off by performing to Andra Day鈥檚 鈥淩ise Up鈥� and broke down in tears at center ice when she finished. Weir, whose family moved to Newark, Delaware, when he was 12 for him to pursue his skating career, dedicated his performance to the members of the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club who were on American Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, following a national development camp there coinciding with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.鈥淚t was a very traumatic experience for me and really just devastating for me to hear when all that happened, and I really wanted to have something that everyone could remember as a family, as a whole community that we remember them,鈥� Malinin said. 鈥淎ll of our daily lives, every time we step on the ice, we鈥檒l always think of them. Every time we鈥檙e competing, they鈥檒l always be in our hearts.鈥漃eggy Fleming, 1968 Olympic champion, said she hopes the event 鈥渨ill heal and give strength to our skaters in the future.鈥� Alysa Liu wants to try to honor the memory of those lost so she 鈥渃an keep going.鈥濃淚t鈥檚 still a struggle and was a struggle,鈥� said Liu, who performed to 鈥淗ero鈥� by Mariah Carey. 鈥淐oming together and seeing everyone again has definitely been the most reassuring feeling. And it鈥檚 just because everyone knows exactly how everyone feels."Forty-one years after winning gold at the Olympics, Scott Hamilton skated onto the ice and led a prayer. 鈥淚magine鈥� blared from arena speakers during one ensemble performance, Malinin dazzled the crowd with his jump-filled routine and Lady Gaga's 鈥淗old My Hand鈥� was the soundtrack of the grand finale of the emotional two-plus-hour show.鈥淚t was just an amazing show,鈥� U.S. Figure Skating interim CEO Sam Auxier said. "You could see even with Ilia the passion and the feelings about what happened coming through in their skating.鈥滱mong the sellout crowd of over 15,000 were hundreds of first responders and their family members. Some came from as far away as Baltimore to be part of the rescue and recovery efforts.鈥淭his was an incredibly challenging scene for those first responders,鈥� DC Fire and EMS Foundation executive director Amy Mauro said. 鈥淭he things that they witnessed are very difficult and will stay with them for a long time. This is part of their grieving and healing process, as well.鈥滻n addition to being a gathering place for figure skaters, first responders and all the families affected by the crash, the intent was to raise money for all of them.鈥淲e鈥檝e heard from the families about things like college tuition for young children who are in elementary school today but also things like therapy and health care that they need,鈥� Monumental president of external affairs and chief administrative officer Monica Dixon said. 鈥淓very family will choose how to use those funds in the best way that they choose.鈥�
WASHINGTON — Maxim Naumov wept on his knees at the end of his performance honoring his parents, wiped away tears as he skated off the ice and held an electric candle in the air as applause rained down. Amber Glenn broke down when she finished skating, and so did 13-year-old Isabella Aparicio, who was performing in memory of her brother, Franco, and their father Luciano.
鈥淭here was not a dry eye to be found anywhere,鈥� pairs skater Madison Chock said.
"Legacy on Ice," a benefit concert honoring the 67 victims who died in a midair collision in January, wrapped up in Washington, D.C., Sunday afternoon.
Dozens of the top ice skaters in the country, many of whom were friends with some of the victims who died in the crash, performed in front of hundreds, including the first responders who raced in to help the night of the collision.
Six of the victims were members of the Skating Club of Boston, who were returning home to New England from a development camp in Wichita, Kansas.
Three members of the Skating Club of Boston participated in the tribute, honoring their friends in the best way they know how 鈥� on the ice.
"It's something that they would want us to do," skater Jimmy Ma said. "After that, it's just everywhere you look around the rink; everywhere you see is a reminder of them."
"I hope that it's going to bring some support to the families that need it right now," skater Alisa Efimova said.
AP Photo/Nick Wass
Max Naumov reacts after performing Sunday, March 2, 2025, in Washington at the Legacy on Ice event, a figure skating tribute to support the families and loved ones affected by the Jan. 29, 2025, aviation incident.
The performance helped raise money for the families of all who lost loved ones in the crash, including the first responders who helped.
More than 500 first responders, many of whom helped during the crash, attended Sunday's performance, showing their support for the skating community and all those who lost loved ones.
American icons of the sport Kristi Yamaguchi and Brian Boitano emceed the show, which included performances by the likes of Glenn, Johnny Weir and reigning men's world champion Ilia Malinin, along with poignant tributes to the victims.
鈥淲e are not powerless,鈥� Boitano said in opening the show. 鈥淎s skaters, we learned to be resilient and to always find a path forward that is positive.鈥�
Ted Leonsis, head of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which staged the event along with U.S. Figure Skating, DC Fire & EMS Foundation and the Greater Washington Community Foundation, hopes doing this at Capital One Arena helps families in the healing process the way concerts and sports at Madison Square Garden did in New York in 2001 after 9/11.
鈥淪ports can play this convening and healing role,鈥� Leonsis said. 鈥淥ur goal is to allow the community to heal, kind of a collective hug for these communities, but then we want to raise a lot of money."
The dasher boards had 67 stars, one for each of the victims, and skaters put flowers on a rinkside table of candles before beginning their routines.
鈥淲e鈥檙e all here to support one another, whether it was our friends that were on that plane, family members, coaches, teammates, loved ones,鈥� said 2014 Olympic team bronze medalist Jason Brown, who skated to 鈥淭he Impossible Dream鈥� by Josh Groban. 鈥淲e all travel for this sport. We get to do what we love. And travel is such a huge part of what we do, so it all hit us really hard because this is just such an integral part of what we do, as well as those are people that we鈥檙e closest to.鈥�
Glenn kicked things off by performing to Andra Day鈥檚 鈥淩ise Up鈥� and broke down in tears at center ice when she finished. Weir, whose family moved to Newark, Delaware, when he was 12 for him to pursue his skating career, dedicated his performance to the members of the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club who were on American Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, following a national development camp there coinciding with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
鈥淚t was a very traumatic experience for me and really just devastating for me to hear when all that happened, and I really wanted to have something that everyone could remember as a family, as a whole community that we remember them,鈥� Malinin said. 鈥淎ll of our daily lives, every time we step on the ice, we鈥檒l always think of them. Every time we鈥檙e competing, they鈥檒l always be in our hearts.鈥�
Peggy Fleming, 1968 Olympic champion, said she hopes the event 鈥渨ill heal and give strength to our skaters in the future.鈥� Alysa Liu wants to try to honor the memory of those lost so she 鈥渃an keep going.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 still a struggle and was a struggle,鈥� said Liu, who performed to 鈥淗ero鈥� by Mariah Carey. 鈥淐oming together and seeing everyone again has definitely been the most reassuring feeling. And it鈥檚 just because everyone knows exactly how everyone feels."
Forty-one years after winning gold at the Olympics, Scott Hamilton skated onto the ice and led a prayer. 鈥淚magine鈥� blared from arena speakers during one ensemble performance, Malinin dazzled the crowd with his jump-filled routine and Lady Gaga's 鈥淗old My Hand鈥� was the soundtrack of the grand finale of the emotional two-plus-hour show.
鈥淚t was just an amazing show,鈥� U.S. Figure Skating interim CEO Sam Auxier said. "You could see even with Ilia the passion and the feelings about what happened coming through in their skating.鈥�
Among the sellout crowd of over 15,000 were hundreds of first responders and their family members. Some came from as far away as Baltimore to be part of the rescue and recovery efforts.
鈥淭his was an incredibly challenging scene for those first responders,鈥� DC Fire and EMS Foundation executive director Amy Mauro said. 鈥淭he things that they witnessed are very difficult and will stay with them for a long time. This is part of their grieving and healing process, as well.鈥�
In addition to being a gathering place for figure skaters, first responders and all the families affected by the crash, the intent was to raise money for all of them.
鈥淲e鈥檝e heard from the families about things like college tuition for young children who are in elementary school today but also things like therapy and health care that they need,鈥� Monumental president of external affairs and chief administrative officer Monica Dixon said. 鈥淓very family will choose how to use those funds in the best way that they choose.鈥�