“Gonna Miss My Friends”: Young Ice Skating Stars’ Final Posts Before Tragic Plane Crash

Two young and talented ice skaters, Angela Yang and Sean Kay, lost their lives in a tragic plane crash on Wednesday. The children, who were part of a promising ice skating duo, had just attended a training camp in Wichita, Kansas, but never made it back home.

Angela and Sean were among the youngest victims on the American Airlines flight that crashed near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on January 29. The plane collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter. Reports suggest they were only 11 years old.

Before the crash, Angela shared happy moments from the camp on her Instagram. She wrote about how much fun she had and how she would miss her friends and coaches. Her last post read: “Had so much fun at camp!!! I’m really gonna miss my friends and all the great coaches! I can’t wait for next year!” She also thanked the U.S. Figure Skating organization for organizing the event.

In another post, Angela shared how much she enjoyed spending time with her friends and watching other skaters perform. She wrote, “It was so much fun watching all the skaters in Kansas! I wish I could see it all again!” Her words reflected her joy and passion for the sport.

Angela and Sean had recently competed in the 2025 Midwestern Sectional Singles & U.S. Ice Dance in Plano, Texas, where they won first place in several categories. During their trip to Wichita, they were accompanied by their coach, Alexandr “Sasha” Kirsanov, 46, who also died in the crash.

The coach’s wife, Natalya Gudin, shared her grief, saying she usually travels with them but didn’t this time. “We always use American Airlines for competitions. This time they went without me, and now they’re all gone,” she said. She described Angela and Sean as “amazing” skaters with bright futures. “They had such a big future ahead of them. And now, all gone on the same plane,” she added.

Angela fell in love with skating after watching her siblings play ice hockey. She started as a solo skater but dreamed of skating with a partner. She found the perfect match in Sean, and together they impressed judges and coaches. Angela’s mother, Lily, moved with her from Maryland to Delaware to support her skating dreams, while their father stayed in China.

Sean was described as a “natural” on the ice. His older sister inspired him to start skating, and he quickly became better than his peers, winning several solo competitions.

Both Angela and Sean were members of the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club, coached by Natalya Gudin and her late husband. Gudin revealed that she spoke to her husband before the flight. He promised to call her after landing, but instead, she received news of the crash from another student’s mother. She rushed to Washington, D.C., hoping to find her husband’s body, but as of Thursday, it had not been recovered.

All 60 passengers and four crew members on the American Airlines flight, along with three soldiers in the helicopter, are presumed dead. The U.S. Figure Skating organization confirmed that several members of the skating community were on the flight and expressed deep sorrow for the families affected.

Social media users shared their condolences, with one saying, “No words can describe the grief and sorrow their families must feel.” The skating world has lost two bright young stars, leaving behind a legacy of talent and passion.

Article Source: Bored Panda