A heart-wrenching tragedy has shaken the nation this week, as the deadliest U.S. plane crash in 24 years claimed 67 lives.
Among the youngest victims were 11-year-old Angela Yang and 12-year-old Sean Kay, two rising stars in figure skating whose futures were tragically cut short.
Their loss is felt deeply in the skating community and beyond, a reminder of how quickly life can change.
Youngest victims
A regional jet, which had just departed Wichita, Kansas, and was approaching Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, collided mid-air with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter on January 29 at around 9 p.m.
All 67 people involved in the accident are reported to have died.
The youngest victims of the crash have now been identified as two young ice dance partners, Angela Yang and Sean Kay, believed to be 11 and 12 years old.
According to an obituary shared by a skating group on Facebook, the pair were described as ”undefeated in juvenile ice dance this season.”
The duo had recently claimed first place in multiple categories at the 2025 Midwestern Sectional Singles and US Ice Dance competition in Texas, and had been undefeated in juvenile ice dance this season.
Angela Yang, 11, and Sean Kay, 11, were undefeated in juvenile ice dance this season. The talented team had big plans…
Posted by The Skating Lesson on Thursday, January 30, 2025
Angela Yang, inspired by her siblings’ passion for ice hockey, began skating at a young age, quickly rising through the ranks. According The Skating Lesson, the young girl started her journey as a solo dancer but always dreamed of partnering up on the ice. To help her achieve that goal, her mother, Lily, made the decision to move from Maryland to Delaware and began homeschooling Angela as she followed her passion for skating. Meanwhile, Angela’s father stayed in China while her mother dedicated herself to raising their three children and supporting Angela’s dreams.
Sean Kay was always a natural on the ice. As the second oldest of four siblings—each of whom skated — he followed in his older sister’s footsteps, quickly surpassing her and his peers. He went on to win solo dance competitions at the juvenile and intermediate levels on the national stage. Sean’s skills continued to grow, and he had plans to move up to the junior level in solo dance while competing with Angela in the intermediate category next season.
The University of Delaware Figure Skating Club shared that Sean Kay had earned first place in the 2023 Excel Series Final in the Excel Juvenile Plus Boys category.
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Angela’s last post on Instagram
Several members of our skating community were sadly aboard the flight, including Angela Yang and Sean Kay, who, like many others, were returning home from a development camp in Kansas.
Just hours before the crash, Yang had posted on Instagram, sharing her joy from the Wichita camp. “I’m really gonna miss my friends and all the great coaches! I can’t wait for next year!” she wrote, unaware that this would be her final post.
Since the news of their deaths was announced, Angela and Sean’s performances have touched the hearts of fans, with footage from their competitions going viral as they captivated audiences with their flawless routines.
The pair was traveling with their teacher, 46-year-old Alexandr ‘Sasha’ Kirsanov, who also lost his life in the crash.
”They had such a big future”
His widow, Natalia Gudin, spoke to Delaware Online, expressing the pain of losing not only her husband but also the young athletes she considered family.
“We always use American Airlines when we go to competition. This time they go without me, and all of them are gone,” she said. “This young team – Sean Kay and Angela Yang – they were so amazing. All the judges were so proud and they had such a big future. And what, all on the same plane?” Gudin added, her grief palpable. “For me, it’s a triple loss.”
In addition to Yang, Kay, and Kirsanov, several other members of the skating community were on board. This includes Boston skaters Jinna Han, 13, and Spencer Lane, 16, along with their mothers. The 1994 World Champion pair, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, also tragically lost their lives in the crash.
Pennsylvania news station WTAJ reports that Donna Smojice Livingston, her husband Peter, and their two skating daughters, Everly, 14, and Alydia, 11, were also aboard American Airlines Flight 5342.
This tragedy highlights the fragility of life, and the ice skating world will forever remember these talented, young souls whose potential was tragically cut short.
As we mourn, we honor their dedication, their promise, and the joy they brought to so many. Our hearts go out to their families, friends, and the entire figure skating community during this incredibly difficult time.
