NORWOOD, Mass. — At the Skating Club of Boston, skaters glide across the ice, carrying with them the memory of profound loss.
On Jan. 29, six of the club’s members were killed in a tragic plane crash in Washington, D.C.
Lost forever were skaters Jinna Han and Spencer Lane, their mothers, and two coaches.
The loss, immeasurable.
“I think the last seven months have been a whirlwind for this club,” Skating Club of Boston CEO Doug Zeghibe told me.
Right now, the Skating Club of Boston is creating a permanent memorial to the victims.
A huge tribute wall will soon face the West rink, which will be renamed Always Champions.
“They are never going to change in our minds, they’ll always be champions, so let’s name it, Always Champions,” Zeghibe said.
There already is a tribute to the victims inside the rink.
In a hallway near a locker room, two white chairs filled with pictures and stuffed animals are roped off.
The small memorial was set up by the friends of Spencer and Jinna.
“Every time I walk by it, I have a nice memory of them. Always saying hello, good morning to them there,” Zachary Lopinto, a skater, told me.
Zachary Lopinto skated with Jinna and Spencer every day.
Now, he carries their memory.
“We want to do what they loved doing the most and just remembering them,” Lopinto said.
There is hope that the new memorials will inspire future generations of figure skaters.
“Those kids were here, every day, six days a week. They brought a lot of exciting energy into the rink both on the ice and off the ice. And I think we’re going to feel them here for a long time to come,” Doug Zeghibe said.
The Skating Club of Boston hopes to have all of its tributes created by the spring of 2026.
If you would like to contribute to the effort, you can visit the Skating Club of Boston’s website.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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