The Community in Art Skating Experienced tremendous grief this week after 14 members of the community were tragically killed in a Midair Aircraft collision in Washington DC on Wednesday night.
Their losses came only one day before twice Olympic gold medal Dick button, A pioneer in the sport that would also continue to have a legendary TV career died at 95.
File – Dick Button of Englewood, NJ, a North American men’s art skating and winner of the European title, performing a leap during an exercise in St. Moritz, Switzerland, January 19, 1948, in preparation for winter -ol of 1948. (AP -Photo, file)
“On this terrible, sad day for art skating with the loss of young upcoming talent and their family members and coaches in the plane crash, I am further the heart bridge with the loss of art skating, my friend, Dick Button,” Brian Boitano, who won a gold medal this winter -ol In 1988 in Calgary, wrote in a post on social media.
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“Rip, Dick Button,” former American sports reporter Michele Tafoya said in another post.
“I like to believe that you went to heaven in time to welcome the young skaters and coaches who perished in Wednesday’s tragedy. May you all slip among the stars together.”
Everly and Alydia Livingston were killed in a plane crash between an American Airlines flight and an army helicopter near Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia on Wednesday, January 29, 2025. (Instagram/@Ice_skating_sisters)
A winner of two Olympic gold medals, five consecutive world championships, seven equal American titles and three-like North American titles, Button was one of the most skilled men’s character trays.
The Olympic Medalist Scott Hamilton remembers the last meeting with Master Russian Skaters days before plane crash
He was the first to land a double axel and triple jump in competition, both led to victory at the Olympics. After his skating career ended, Button would enter the world of television and eventually serve the name “The Voice of Fount Skating.”
Barely died Thursday in North Salem, New York, his family confirmed on Thursday.
“American art skating mourns the loss of the legendary Dick button,” the organization said in a statement. “The two-time Olympic Master’s groundbreaking style and award-winning TV commentary revolutionary art skating. His heritage will live on forever. We expand our deepest compassion to his family and dear.”
File – Dick button, by Anglewood, NJ, the reigning art skating champion in the world, Tuning appears on Oslo to defend his Olympic title in the winter games. He performs a Hjorthopp on February 12, 1952 in Oslo, Norway. (AP -Pictures)
The Olympic Gold Medal Scott Hamilton spoke on Wednesday’s tragedy and loss of button, a good friend, in a performance today Friday.
Hamilton was in Wichita, Kansas, at the American Art Skating and was familiar with some of the victims of Wednesday’s crashes, including world champion pairers Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov.
“It has just been beyond anything I can handle,” said a tearful Hamilton about the losses.
