COLORADO SPRINGS — Not an empty seat at US Olympic and Paralympic museum, and not a dry eye either. Monday night, the Colorado Springs Olympic community remembered its members aboard American Airlines flight 5432.
"It was a sleepless night," said Justin Dillon, Senior Director of Athlete High Performance with US Figure Skating. "You see talent, you see passion, and so it's just devastating to not see that realized."
"I want everyone to take a minute to appreciate the sacrifices made by parents in competitive sport. It takes your entire life," said Figure Skater Sonja Hilmer.
Hilmer said she was competing in nationals at Wichita.
"I have been skating for 22 years," said Hilmer.
She had a photo she took with Spencer Lane from Wichita. Lane was one of the young, aspiring skaters who boarded that fateful flight days later. Hilmer added she trained some of these skaters in Colorado Springs.
"We have a 'Jump on It' Camp is what it's called at Broadmoor. Spencer, Eddie Corey, the Livingston's. I remember it just come for a week to train with us," said Hilmer.
Monday's vigil showed how the figure skating community can pull together on the ice and off.
"Falling down is part of our sport and with what took place last week, when you have a tragedy like this hit and this devastation, you have to just get up and just figure out how to keep going," said Dillon.
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