How Madison Chock, Evan Bates Honor D.C. Plane Crash Victims Every Day

Figure skating partners Madison Chock and Evan Bates will compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics while grieving a recent loss.

This sporting event is particularly poignant, happening just over a year after a plane crash tragically took the lives of 28 members of the U.S. figure skating community near Washington, D.C.

A plane carrying over two dozen figure skating coaches, athletes, and their families crashed mid-air with a military helicopter shortly after they had attended the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. The tragic accident resulted in 64 deaths, including the parents of future 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics athlete Maxim Naumov.

It’s a tight-knit community,” Evan explained to TopMob News in a conversation with Madison. “Everyone knows each other, so it was really upsetting when this happened.”

Despite the sadness, the event actually strengthened their belief in how caring and supportive their community always was.

We had the opportunity to skate in the Legacy on Ice show in February to honor those who were lost. It was incredibly moving to be there and experience the community coming together in support of one another.

As a lifestyle expert, I’m always moved by stories of resilience. That’s certainly true for Evan and Madison, who are heading to the Winter Games in Italy this February. Despite everything going on, they’re keeping those affected by recent events in their thoughts and competing with a lot of heart.

We really value having a good balance between our personal lives and our sport,” he said. “It’s such a big part of who we are that we want to bring that whole energy to the rink with us every day.

It was an easy decision for the couple to include their toy poodles in their work with Nulo. As a spokesperson for the premium pet food brand’s ‘Fuel Incredible’ campaign, Evan explained, “We just love having our dogs with us constantly – it feels natural and wonderful.”

As Olympic athletes, Madison and I prioritize good nutrition and recovery. We feel fortunate to have had long careers, and we’ve also been lucky to have dogs who lived long, healthy lives, too.

As a lifestyle expert and huge fan of the Olympics, I’m so excited to watch Madison and Evan compete in their fourth Games together! It got me thinking about all the incredible US skaters who’ve come before them. Let’s take a moment to celebrate some of the most memorable moments and athletes who’ve represented Team USA on the ice.

He acknowledged that the future would be difficult, but believed the best way to remember those lost was to cherish life and never take anything for granted.

Madison agreed. As she put it, “We’re so grateful for each day and for the opportunity.”

The couple, who got married in 2024 after skating together for over a decade, are dedicated to fostering a strong community. They even bring their dogs, Stella and Henry, along to training sessions!

Madison enthusiastically described them as wonderful companions, and Evan added that they deeply cherish having them in their lives.

We really value having a good work-life balance, and sport is such a big part of who we are that we always bring that energy and passion to the rink with us.

As Olympic athletes, Madison and I prioritize good nutrition and recovery. We’re grateful to have had long, successful careers, and we’ve also been lucky to have dogs who lived long, healthy lives as well.

With Madison and Evan heading to their fourth Olympics as a team, let’s remember some of the most memorable U.S. skaters of all time.

Oh my gosh, did you see Brian Boitano win gold in Sarajevo in ’84? It was incredible! He was the first American man to win since David Jenkins way back in 1960 – a total legend! And it wasn’t just the Olympics, he was a four-time World Champion! After competing, he toured for years, and then he was on TV all the time, commentating for CBS and NBC. I seriously watched everything he did, and still do!

Lewis Hamilton has openly discussed his fight with testicular cancer, which he was diagnosed with in 1997. He said surviving the experience made him feel capable of overcoming any challenge. He also received treatment for a non-cancerous brain tumor that returned at a later time, as he shared with Coping magazine.

He shared with People magazine in 2015 that he’s always been resilient, able to bounce back from setbacks. He explained that skating, with all its falls, taught him how to recover. He encourages everyone to persevere through difficult times, believing that something positive awaits on the other side.

Hamilton and his wife, Tracie, have four children, including two they adopted from Haiti in 2014.

He kept the costume he wore when he won the gold medal and displayed it on NBC Sports’ “Olympic Ice” from his home in Tennessee during the 2022 Beijing Games.

Brian Boitano’s gold medal performance at the 1988 Calgary Olympics was historic. He not only won the gold, but he also became the first Olympic skater to successfully land all six types of triple jumps. He’d previously achieved this same feat at the 1983 World Championships, a first for any skater. As a result of his accomplishment, his American flag-decorated skates are now displayed in the National Museum of American History.

Brian Boitano, a California native, has remained a popular figure in pop culture for decades. He won an Emmy for his 1990 ice skating special, Carmen on Ice, and received a memorable mention in the 1999 South Park movie, “What Would Brian Boitano Do?” He later hosted the Food Network show What Would Brian Boitano Make and made appearances in the films Ice Princess and Blades of Glory.

When President Barack Obama appointed him to the U.S. delegation for the 2014 Sochi Olympics, he decided to publicly come out as gay. He explained to reporters that while he hadn’t originally intended to do so, he was motivated by Russia’s recent passage of anti-gay laws and wanted to protest them.

Boitano explained in a statement that he felt it was important to be open about this personal part of his life while representing the United States. He sees participating in the Russia games as a significant opportunity and a platform to share who he is.

He’s still the person people turn to for major events, and he helped cover the 2022 Beijing Olympics for NBC Sports.

The 1992 Olympic gold medalist initially achieved success as a pairs skater. They partnered with Rudy Galindo to win the U.S. Junior Championships in 1986 and the World Junior Championships in 1988.

Competing on her own proved to be the right decision, a fact highlighted by her success at the Albertville Olympics. Following her victory, Yamaguchi spent years performing as a professional skater and later established the Always Dream foundation. This organization supports after-school programs and provides essential educational resources for children in need.

She’s had a busy and successful career beyond figure skating! She’s appeared in several TV shows and movies, written a popular children’s book, launched a fitness video and clothing line, and even won Dancing With the Stars in 2006 – making her the first Olympic figure skating champion to do so.

Cammi Yamaguchi has been married to former hockey player Bret Hedican since 2000. They first met in a charming way at the 1992 Olympics, where they were both representing Team USA, and have two daughters together.

Nancy Kerrigan had previously won a bronze medal at the 1992 Winter Olympics. However, she became widely known after a shocking attack where she was hit in the knee just before the 1994 U.S. Championship in Detroit. The attack was orchestrated by the ex-husband of her fellow skater, Tonya Harding.

Following her impressive silver medal win at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics, Kerrigan’s life quickly changed. She received numerous endorsement deals, hosted Saturday Night Live, and enjoyed other celebrity opportunities. However, she also faced some awkward moments, like being overheard calling the Walt Disney World Parade “incredibly cheesy.”

Kerrigan performed as a professional skater and became a popular public speaker. She also appeared on television many times and wrote a book called Artistry on Ice. In 2017, she finished sixth on Dancing With the Stars.

While competing on the ballroom show, Kerrigan revealed she experienced six miscarriages over eight years after having her first child, Matthew, in 1996. She and her husband, Jerry Solomon, later welcomed two more children: Brian in 2005, and Nicole in 2008.

As I watched the lead-up to the 2022 Beijing Olympics, I was so touched by what Nancy Kerrigan shared on Morning in America. With her kids, Brian in gymnastics and Nicole at ballet school, she’s really been thinking about all her parents did for her. She said something that really resonated with me – nobody achieves success alone. It truly takes a whole team of people and a lot of hard work to get to the top, and I think that’s so true!

Tonya Harding wasn’t widely loved when she qualified for her second Olympics in 1994, and she’s not necessarily considered a hero now. However, looking back, and especially after the 2017 film I, Tonya offered a new perspective, she’s no longer seen as simply a villain either.

Just a month after winning the U.S. championship, her performance at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics was a letdown; she finished eighth after her long program was disrupted when her skate lace broke. Then, in June, she lost her national title when an investigation into the attack on Nancy Kerrigan revealed that Tonya Harding’s ex-husband and his associates had planned it to prevent Kerrigan from competing in the Olympics. Harding maintained that she didn’t learn about the plot until after it happened.

People often made fun of Harding. For a long time, she was known mostly for outrageous behavior – things like creating a sex tape, participating in celebrity boxing, and even getting arrested for assaulting her boyfriend. She admitted to the assault and served a brief jail sentence of three days.

Following Margot Robbie’s critically acclaimed portrayal of Tonya Harding, public perception of her began to soften. In 2018, Harding showcased her skills on the all-athlete season of Dancing With the Stars, finishing in third place. The following year, she surprisingly won Worst Cooks in America, using the $250,000 prize money to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

She’s been married to third husband Joseph Price since 2010 and is mom to son Gordon, born in 2011.

Despite never winning Olympic gold – she earned silver in 1998 and bronze in 2002, and had to withdraw from the 2006 Games due to injury – this nine-time U.S. champion (who shares the record with 1930s Olympian Maribel Vinson) remains an iconic figure in American figure skating.

Following the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, while on the Champions on Ice Tour and receiving enthusiastic applause – she was the tour’s highest-paid skater at $1 million – Michelle Kwan described the audience’s reaction to her performances in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. She explained it wasn’t pity, but rather a comforting acknowledgment that life isn’t always perfect. People understood the disappointment of not winning, but recognized that setbacks are a normal part of life. She said it was like acknowledging the situation, accepting it, and moving forward.

Looking back after almost twenty years, she told People magazine in 2021 that representing her country was an incredible experience – truly unlike anything else.

In 2016 and 2020, Kwan supported Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden as a public spokesperson for their campaigns. She also produced the 2021 YouTube special, Recipe for Change.

In 2022, she revealed she had welcomed her first child, a daughter named Kalista Belle Kwan.

We all know who you’re thinking of—the 1998 Olympic gold medalist who now provides commentary with Johnny Weir for NBC Sports, having joined the network in 2013.

In a 2018 interview with GQ, she described meeting Weir as finding a soul mate later in life, saying she couldn’t picture her life without him.

In 1997, at just 14 years old, Lipinski became the youngest person to ever win a world championship in figure skating. A year later, at the Nagano Olympics, she made history again, becoming the youngest Olympic gold medalist in the sport. She defeated all competitors, including her American teammate Michelle Kwan, who was widely expected to win but finished with the silver medal.

She told TopMob News that she vividly remembers her legs shaking when her name was announced – something she’d never experienced before. But even more than winning, she’ll always cherish the feeling of finishing her skate at the Beijing Games. It wasn’t the victory itself, but the moment the music stopped and she skated across the ice, overwhelmed with relief and joy after performing well on such a massive stage, in front of millions of viewers.

She met her future husband, Todd Kapostasy, while presenting him with an award at the Sports Emmys in 2015. They married two years later and later collaborated on the 2022 Peacock documentary Meddling, which explores the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics scandal involving a pairs skating scoring controversy that led to two gold medals being awarded.

Even those who regularly follow figure skating were surprised by Sarah Hughes’s win at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. In her first Olympic appearance, she skated a wonderfully joyful long program and won gold. People still remember how thrilled she looked while realizing she was delivering a truly exceptional performance.

It’s understandable if people didn’t expect her to win. While she’d won the U.S. junior title in 1998, she only earned a bronze medal at the 2001 World Championships before making the U.S. Olympic team. At the Olympics, her performance in the short program wasn’t strong – she finished fourth. Michelle Kwan was in first place going into the final long program and ultimately won the bronze medal.

Interestingly, Hughes is the only American woman to ever win an Olympic gold medal in figure skating without also achieving a national or world championship title.

She received her education at Yale and the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and now works as a lawyer in New York. She previously represented Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign and participated in the U.S. delegation to the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. In 2021, she publicly shared her experience with egg freezing on her website, expressing her eagerness to return to ice skating after completing the process.

The skater, who won the national championship in 2006, earned a silver medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. They then took a three-year break from competitive skating, but continued to skate in shows and at events like the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting.

She nearly qualified for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, finishing fourth at the U.S. Championships and becoming a team alternate. However, she decided to retire from the sport later that same year.

Cohen is a frequent TV guest and a Columbia University graduate with a degree in political science, earning it in 2016. She previously published a memoir, Fire on Ice, at just 19 years old, and has often discussed the significant pressure she experienced during competition.

She explained to US Figure Skating Fan Zone in 2021 that young Olympic athletes often dedicate themselves completely to their sport, only to retire while still very young. This creates a difficult transition, going from being a highly successful and celebrated figure with lots of support and opportunities to feeling forgotten and irrelevant.

Cohen married hedge fund manager Tom May in August 2016, but they divorced two years later, in 2018. She reflected on turning a year older in October 2019 with an Instagram post, sharing that she felt wiser, stronger, and more focused on what’s truly important. In 2020, she and her husband, Geoffrey Lieberthal, welcomed their son, Dashiell.

After Brian Boitano’s Olympic win in 1988, U.S. men’s figure skating went through a quiet period. Paul Wylie’s silver medal in 1992 and Timothy Goebel’s bronze in 2002 were the only highlights, suggesting the American team was still competing, though with limited success.

After narrowly missing a medal in 2006 with a fourth-place finish, two-time national champion Evan Lysacek finally won gold in Vancouver in 2010. His performance, and his stylish Vera Wang costumes, also captured a lot of attention.

That spring, he came in second place on Dancing With the Stars and was also recognized as the U.S. Olympic Committee’s SportsMan of the Year.

Following his retirement from competitive skating, Evan Lysacek transitioned to a career in commercial real estate, even working with Wang in New York for a period. In 2019, he married Duangpatra Bodiratnangkura, a real estate developer, in a wedding held in Bangkok, Thailand.

He told People magazine how incredibly lucky he felt to have found his then-fiancée, calling her amazing and saying she inspires him to be his best self.

Although he won the national championship three times, he never earned an Olympic medal in 2006 or 2010. However, his flamboyant and stylish performances always captivated audiences and earned him admiration.

So, figure skater and commentator Weir explained that he and his co-host, Tara Lipinski, brought a total of 17 suitcases with them to Beijing in 2022. He joked to TopMob’s Daily Pop that it was actually fewer suitcases than usual, suggesting they’re getting better at packing or that they simply know each other’s wardrobes so well after spending so much time together.

The duo’s chemistry and expertise have made their commentary must-watch parts of the Olympics.

Lipinski said to TopMob that if they showed figure skating on screen, both she and her companion would jump up excitedly, and she’d instinctively reach for his hand.

Johnny Weir and Victor Voronov got married in 2012, but their marriage ended in a difficult split less than two years afterward. Weir recalled that Lipinski supported him when they both worked at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

He shared with GQ in 2018 that Tara was his only support during a difficult divorce. He knew it was a lot to ask of a new friend, but she was there for him as long as he needed her. She helped him stay focused on work, and despite his personal struggles, they were both achieving great success and connecting with people across the country. This shared experience created a strong and fast bond between them.

Following a silver medal at the Vancouver Olympics, the six-time national and two-time world champions achieved a historic first for the United States: a gold medal in ice dancing at the Sochi Games. They also contributed to a team bronze medal. Despite any speculation about a romantic relationship, the long-time skating partners were thrilled to make history.

Months after winning Dancing With the Stars, Davis and White performed in exhibitions before retiring in February 2017. In June 2019, she married retired figure skater Fedor Andreev in a beautiful outdoor ceremony in Provence, France.

The bride shared with Town & Country that they focused on breathing and soaking in the moment, calling it incredibly meaningful. After years of dating and loving each other, experiencing that special moment together was especially beautiful and is now one of her most cherished memories.

A little cold, but wedding days will do that to a person, even an Olympic gold medalist.

In 2015, White married Tanith Melvin, a retired ice dancer who is both Canadian and American. They have a son together.

As a lifestyle observer, I remember being captivated by one skater at the 2018 Winter Olympics. While he didn’t personally medal in the individual event, he was part of the U.S. team that won bronze. But honestly, it was more than just the medal. He completely won over the hearts of Americans – and mine! – with his incredible energy, artistry on the ice, and just a genuine zest for life, which he happily shared with everyone, even through his social media. He was a true joy to watch.

Sally Field’s son, Sam Greisman, shared a funny exchange on Twitter. He posted a message from his Oscar-winning mother encouraging him to pursue someone she thought was very attractive, saying, “Sam… he’s insanely pretty. Find a way.”

Following his success at the Pyeongchang Olympics, Adam Rippon went on to win Dancing With the Stars and was named one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2018. Since then, he’s juggled a career in entertainment – including guest-hosting RuPaul’s Drag Race and appearing in Taylor Swift’s “You Need to Calm Down” music video – with his work as a human rights advocate.

He married husband Jussi-Pekka Kajaala on Dec. 31, 2021.

In January 2022, Adam Rippon shared with TopMob News what he hoped people would take away from the Beijing Olympics. He emphasized that it’s important to remember the athletes are people who will hear how they’re discussed and celebrated. He noted they’ve dedicated their lives to reaching these moments, and regardless of the outcome, they’ve worked incredibly hard, pouring their heart and soul into their training and competition.

The two-time national champion, who also worked as a CoverGirl model, won a bronze medal with her teammates at the first-ever team event in the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Though many expected her to compete again at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, she decided to take a break from her career to focus on her well-being.

She’s become increasingly recognized for speaking openly about the pressures athletes face and the impact on their mental well-being. In a 2019 interview with the New York Times, Gold shared her personal experiences with an eating disorder, anxiety, and depression, describing a difficult cycle: “You want people to understand you’re struggling and need support, but it’s hard to actually ask for it, leaving you stuck in a painful situation.”

Along with athletes like Michael Phelps and Lolo Jones, Gold was featured in the 2020 documentary The Weight of Gold, which explored the mental health struggles of Olympians. Although she didn’t qualify for the 2022 U.S. Olympic team – finishing 10th at the national competition – Gold still participated in the excitement by joining Kevin Hart’s Winter Olympics Tailgate Party.

A three-time national champion, Wagner earned a team bronze medal at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. However, she didn’t make the U.S. team for the 2018 Olympics and openly expressed her anger, telling reporters she was “absolutely furious” with her scores at the U.S. Championships that January.

She explained on TODAY that she’s a straightforward person and always tries to be honest. While she still had some questions about how the scoring was done, she ultimately agreed that the judges chose the best team based on the established criteria.

When asked about her reaction to the results, Wagner said she was completely heartbroken and devastated. She explained that she’d worked for 22 years toward that moment and was very proud of what she had accomplished.

She married Alex Clark, who teaches science at the middle school level, in 2023. They had a daughter, Rosalie Starbird Clark, later that year.

In a 2021 interview with NBC Sports, Wagner admitted she never actually enjoyed skating. She viewed it as a way to achieve her goals, and once she stopped, she was completely finished with it.

2026-01-29 15:20

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