Two sisters who were competitive figure skaters were among the victims of the recent plane collision in Washington, D.C. The siblings had recently participated in a championship in Wichita and were on their way home when the tragedy occurred.
Reports indicate that several sources have confirmed the victims’ identities, including Peter Livingston, his wife, Donna Smojice Livingston—a native of Central Pennsylvania—and their figure skating daughters. They were among those who lost their lives in the American Airlines plane crash.
The couple’s daughters, 11-year-old Alydia and 14-year-old Everly, along with the crew and other passengers aboard Flight 5342, did not survive. Their final social media post, dated January 24, featured the sisters posing together at their recent competition.
The post included numerous hashtags and read, “If you look closely at Alydia’s badge… We were born ready for this but is @usfigureskating ready for this much Livingston at Nationals?”
Cassandra Atkins, a family friend from Australia, helped design some of the girls’ skating outfits through her company, Frozen Couture. Although she had never met the family in person, she maintained regular contact with Donna, exchanging messages weekly or even daily.
Cassandra often received photos and videos of the sisters from their mother. Reflecting on their relationship, she shared, “Donna was just like the most perfect mom. She really was. Those girls were everything to her, the center of her whole universe.”
Their last conversation took place a week before the accident, during which they discussed designing new outfits for the sisters. Donna had mentioned how her daughters preferred wearing bright colors on the ice rather than the darker tones commonly chosen by other skaters their age.
Recalling the girls’ deep passion for skating, Cassandra added, “They just loved skating so much. When they weren’t skating, they were roller skating, or they had wheels on their boots. They were always able to figure out a way.”
Their deaths were mourned by The Skating Lesson Facebook page, which shared images of the sisters. The post highlighted Alydia as a rising ice dancer who had recently teamed up with a new partner and earned a spot in a training camp.
At just 11 years old, Alydia was the youngest skater on the plane. Remembered for her lively personality and relentless drive to improve, the page noted, “Lydia was known for her vivacious personality and strong desire to improve on the ice—no matter the critique.”
Her older sister, Everly, was more reserved but came alive when she skated. She had achieved sectional championship titles at both the intermediate and juvenile levels. Their mother worked at Comcast, while their father was a real estate agent.
The couple was described as dedicated parents who spent countless nights in hotels, traveling between Michigan, New Jersey, and Virginia to support their daughters’ skating aspirations.
The skating community paid tribute to them, with one post stating, “Donna will be remembered for her optimistic nature, and Peter will be remembered for being a supportive dad who loved filming his girls anywhere and everywhere.”
Their love for figure skating had been evident from a young age. A Facebook post from December 3, 2022, shared by a figure skating page, featured a throwback photo of the sisters playing in the snow. At the time, Everly was five and Alydia was two.
By 2022, they were 12 and nine, still devoted to skating. A caption accompanying the image revealed, “Their father makes an ice rink in the garden for the girls every year. As the girls get bigger, year after year, the size of the rink also increases.”
In 2023, Everly was interviewed by Fox5 at the Ashburn Ice House. When asked about her favorite aspect of figure skating, she responded that she loved how the sport incorporated jumps and spins.
She acknowledged the challenges of figure skating but expressed appreciation for its elegance, calling it a beautiful sport. Their parents had also launched a YouTube channel for them in November 2018 to document their progress. The channel currently has 437 subscribers, 67 videos, and over 86,500 views.
On the evening of January 29, an American Airlines plane collided mid-air with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 jet struck a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter.