For the figure skating community, 2025 has been a year that will forever remain unforgettable. It all started on January 29 when an American Airlines flight clashed with a US Army chopper, resulting in the death of 28 members of the figure skating community on board, along with others. This incident thrust the entire community into despair, and Ilia Malinin was no different. The current defending champion took some time before his title defense at the upcoming Boston World Championship to let the fans know how he dealt with the sorrow of this loss.

Now, Ilia in recent years has become one of the biggest names in the world of figure skating. But those who follow him would know that the upcoming clash to defend his crown from March 26-30 will be much different this time around. Why? Because Ilia lost some of his closest friends, friends he considered family, just 2 months ago. This, combined with the mounting pressure of being the champ, has Malinin feeling extremely low. The loss of Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova has also been a shock to the young champ. 

Perhaps that’s why, just before the competition, he stated, “I’ll always have them in my head and my heart, just remembering them.” The champ took his time to be completely transparent before the fans and the community, to convey just how much distressed he was over the incident. Malinin continued, “Still, some days I have some of those thoughts… It does upset me a little bit that some days I wouldn’t be able to see them on the ice training with me.”

But he knows that, being the champion, he can’t let his sorrow get the better of him. That’s why, in a truly emphatic manner, the 20-year-old decided to win the championship once again and dedicate the victory to all the deceased ones on the cursed plane. But it’s not just the champ who has decided to commemorate the day in honor of the fallen. The competition itself has announced that a special program will be hosted.

On the opening day of the competition, March 26, 2025, a tribute will be paid to honor and remember the lives of the victims. This ceremony is scheduled to take place at the TD Garden, the home of the NBA team, the Boston Celtics. Meanwhile, despite this year’s Worlds being a gloomy affair, the show must go on. That is because the competition will serve as the launching pad for the upcoming Winter Olympics. 

Based on how the skaters perform in Boston, national quotas for the Olympics will be allocated. Thus, trying to keep a calm head, Ilia Malinin would want to become the champion once again. Especially when he shared a strong bond of friendship and mutual respect with the deceased.

Grief-stricken Ilia Malinin remembers the friends he lost in the fatal Potomac crash

For Ilia Malinin, the ice has always been more than a stage. It has been the space where friendships turned into family. Now, as he prepares for ‘Legacy on Ice’ in Washington, DC, the weight of loss hangs heavy. Malinin lost several close friends in the tragic American Airlines collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The victims were fellow skaters, part of the tight-knit figure skating community that had shaped his career and life.

The 2024 world champion had just returned from Wichita, Kansas, where he claimed his third consecutive national title. However, the triumphant feat was overshadowed by grief. Reflecting on the heart-shattering loss, Ilia shared, “They looked up to me as their role model, and it’s very heartbreaking to see that I wouldn’t be able to see them anymore.” In the interview, Malinin further told NBC Washington, “I still can’t really process the thoughts and emotions of them not being here anymore.” 

It has been understandably hard for the skater since the very people who made him love the sport aren’t beside him anymore. But while the champion has allowed himself to mourn the losses, he isn’t one to simply walk away. That’s why his performance at Capital One Arena isn’t just about skating, it’s more about remembrance. “We want to continue this sport and want to continue to grow, just for them,” Malinin stated.

Looking forward to paying tribute to the departed souls, he said, “Really skate for them and really keep them in our heads all the time, and just really think of them when we’re on the ice.” For Malinin, the show is indeed personal. It’s a tribute to the lives lost. A chance to honor those who once shared the ice with him, and whose absence is now deeply felt by the tight-knit skating community.