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Vigils underway in Loudoun for lost skaters and families

(UPDATED) The Loudoun County skating community — along with all of Northern Virginia — continues to grieve three days after the crash of American Eagle Flight 5342. Multiple skaters, coaches, and/or family members with ties to the Ashburn Ice House skating rink perished in the tragedy.

On Saturday, February 1 — a vigil of sorts was held at the ION International Training Center in Leesburg. It was an opportunity for people in the area to come together, remember the victims, and meet with on-site grief counselors if needed.

People console each other a vigil for the victims of Flight 5342 at the Ion International Training Center in Leesburg. (Image: InsideNoVa.com)

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin was among the speakers at the event. You can read more about the Ion vigil at the site of our partner publication – InsideNoVa.com – here.

On Sunday, February 2 — a private candlelight skate will be held at the Ashburn Ice House open only to existing Ice House skaters and their families. The general public and media outlets will not be allowed to attend.

“Every skater has their home rink, we were proud to be theirs,” a statement on social media from the Ashburn Ice House reads.

“This community is tightly knit and made up of families throughout the area. Many children spend long hours here practicing daily, which means their parents often spend long hours here too. So we know many of the children and adults who skate here as well as their families,” the statement continued. “Our hearts go out to everyone involved. This is just such a terrible tragedy and so counter to the environment of skating and joy that we’re used to.”

Among the local passengers lost in the accident — Peter and Donna Livingston and their daughters Everly and Alydia — all of Ashburn; Justyna Beyer and her daughter, Brielle, of Aldie; and Inna Volyanskaya, a coach at the Ashburn Ice House and a former skater with “Disney on Ice.”

(Image at top: Ashburn Ice House)