Following the tragedy that saw 67 people lose their lives in a horrific plane crash, the father of a passenger onboard has paid tribute to his son.
American Airlines flight 5342 was heading into land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on January 29 when it tragically struck a military Black Hawk helicopter.
An immediate rescue operation was launched, but sadly this changed to a recovery mission after authorities declared that the 64 people on the plane, and three on the helicopter were likely to be dead.
Among those onboard was Spencer Lane, a rising star from the Skating Club of Boston believed to be 16 years old.
“Spencer, in the best way possible, was a crazy kid,” said the club’s CEO, Doug Zeghibe.
“Highly talented, has not been skating that long, and has been rocketing to the top of the sport. Very fun, very cerebral.”
His mother, Christine Lane, was also on the flight, per the New York Post.
Lane, who was traveling alongside several members of the figure skating community - including former world champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov - posted a final message on social media before his flight.
Around 7:00PM that evening, he shared a photo on Instagram with the caption "ICT -> DCA," referencing Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
With the crash marking the first major commercial airline disaster in the U.S. since 2009, Lane’s father, Douglas Lane, has spoken out about his son’s loss.
"Whether he was in his home club in Boston, [Spencer] was just loved by everyone," Douglas told WPRI. "From adults running the club to smaller skaters, to the people that are competing for a shot at the Olympics, they all adored him."
In a statement, he described his son as "a force of nature."
"You simply could not stop him if he decided he wanted to do something," Douglas wrote.
"There is no better example of this than his remarkable skating journey, which we are heartbroken to see end too soon. He truly loved it, and his ascent from basic Learn to Skate classes to U.S. Figure Skating’s National Development Team in just a few short years was unprecedented."
Douglas also expressed gratitude for the support of the skating community. "We are so grateful that his last week was filled with joy and surrounded by his beloved Skating Club of Boston and the U.S. Figure Skating family."
Remembering his wife, Christie, Douglas described her as someone who "exuded creativity throughout her life."
"She brought even greater passion to her role as a mother to Spencer and his brother Milo," he said. "She was also a lover of animals, and we lost track of how many dogs she helped place in loving adoptive homes."
Our thoughts continue to be with those impacted by this tragedy.