Carlsbad, Callif. (KGTV) - Emotions ran high in the local figure skating community following news that 14 members of the sport were on board an American Airlines flight involved in a mid-air collision. The group included former world champions, coaches, family members and young skaters, leading to a profound sense of loss within the community.
14-year-old Dominick Cavaliere, a competitive skater, expressed his devastation over the news.
“Number one, shocking. Number two, just really sad,” Cavaliere stated while preparing for a day of skating in Carlsbad. He shared that he had competed against one of the young skaters on the flight and lamented the loss.
Cavaliere described the tight-knit nature of the skating community, saying, “Even though we compete against each other, we’re like a team. We skate at the same rinks. We do practice ice on the same ice. We’re family. We’re friends.” He conveyed a sense of solidarity among skaters during this tragic moment.
Gretchen Caudill-Bauer, who coaches Cavaliere, reflected on the overwhelming response she received from the community, with her phone ringing all night and morning.
“There’s a dark cloud all day. We’re strong. We are here for our skating family, but it’s just devastating to our community.”
This incident marks one of the most significant tragedies to impact the figure skating world since the 1961 incident in which all members of the U.S. figure skating team perished in a plane crash in Belgium while en route to the World Championships in Prague. The cause of that disaster was never confirmed, leaving a lasting mark on the community.
Addressing the historical significance of the tragedy, Caudill-Bauer noted, “You hope you never have another tragedy. It’s painful.”
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