BOSTON — A special tribute inside TD Garden on the first night of the World Figure Skating Championship, honoring the many skaters who died in the D.C. plane crash nearly two months ago.
“Spencer had actually been selected to be an awards presenter at this event, so it was personally meaningful to me as well, obviously my preference would have been to be sitting in the stands with my wife cheering for him,” said Doug Lane, who lost his son Spencer and his wife Christine in the plane crash.
Lane says it was moving to see this tribute on the big screen of his son, who will forever be honored and remembered by the skating community.
“I remember seeing all of those performances happen live, and it was a very special day for my son given that he took the gold at that event at his level, so it’s kind of the last greatest memory that day,” said Lane.
State and city leaders also paid tribute to the lives lost, including Governor Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu.
The Skating Club of Boston lost six of their own.
Along with Spencer was Jinna Han, their mothers and their two coaches.
“They remain a part of this skating family from Norwood to TD Garden and beyond,” said Gov. Maura Healey during the tribute.
Lane spoke on behalf of the victims’ families, sharing a message of hope to support the young skaters still competing after this tragedy.
He says as for his family, the loss never gets easier, but he’s trying to stay busy with his other son.
“I think the evenings when the house feels like it doesn’t have everybody that’s supposed to be there, for both of us is the hardest time,” said Lane.
The Skating Club of Boston will also never be the same, but its CEO says they’ve been able to focus on hosting this international event, which helps.
“Having a focus like that really sort of carries you through and gives you a distraction,” said Doug Zeghibe, Skating Club of Boston CEO. “There is a hole in the club, and we have over 1,100 members, but there’s a hole left by these families.”
During his speech, Doug Lane also said this plane crash could have been avoided, and he hopes now after this tragedy that air travel will be safer for everyone, so something like this never happens again.
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