THE Figure Skating Community A huge sorrow this week after 14 members of the community were tragically killed in an outdoor aircraft collision in Washington DC on Wednesday evening.
Their loss came a day before twice Olympic gold medalist Dick Button, A sports pioneer who was also going to have a legendary radio career, died at the age of 95.
File – Dick Button by Englewood, NJ, Men’s Men’s Men’s Men’s Skating Champion in North America and winner of the European title, executes a jump during a training session in St. Moritz, Switzerland, January 19, 1948, In preparation for the 1948 winter Olympic Games. (AP photo, file)
“In this terrible and sad day for figure skating with the loss of young talents to come and members of their family and coaches in the plane crash, I still have a broken heart with the loss of the legend of Skating skating, my friend, Dick Button “, Brian Botano, who won a gold medal at the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, wrote in an article on social networks.
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“RIP, Dick Button,” said former American sports journalist Michele Tafoya in another article.
“I like to think that you went to paradise in time to welcome young skaters and coaches who died in Wednesday’s tragedy. That you all glide together among the stars.”
Everly and Alydia Livingston were killed in an airplane accident between an American Airlines flight and an army helicopter near Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, Wednesday, January 29, 2025. The 67 people on board Of the two planes are presumed dead. (Instagram / @ ie_skating_sisters)
Winner of two Olympic gold medals, five consecutive world championships, seven consecutive American titles and three North American titles, Button was one of the most accomplished artistic skaters.
The Olympic medalist Scott Hamilton remembers the last meeting with the champions of the Russian skaters a few days before the plane crash
He was the first to win a double axel and a triple jump in competition, both leading to victory at the Olympic Games. After the end of his skating career, Button would enter the world of broadcasting, finally winning the name “The voice of figure skating”.
Button died Thursday in North Salem, New York, confirmed his family on Thursday.
“American figure skating is crying for the loss of the legendary cock button,” the organization said in a statement. “The pioneering style of the double Olympic champion and the award -winning television comments have revolutionized artistic skating. His heritage will live forever. We present our biggest condolences to his family and loved ones.”
File – Dick Button, of Englewood, NJ, the world’s reigning figure skating champion, is shown in agreement in Oslo to defend its Olympic title at the Winter Games. He made a deer jump on February 12, 1952 in Oslo, Norway. (Images AP)
The Olympic gold medalist Scott Hamilton spoke of the tragedy and the loss of button on Wednesday, a good friend, in an appearance today on Friday.
Hamilton was in Wichita, Kansas, at the American Figure Skating Championships and knew some of the victims in the Wednesday crash, including the pairs of world championship pairs Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naunov.
“It is just beyond everything I can manage,” said a Hamilton in tears about losses.
