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Imagine how many times Doug and Christine Lane must have beamed with pride over the years as they watched their son Spencer slowly and steadily transform himself from an unsteady toddler to a talented teenaged figure skater. That’s what parents do, right? In good times and bad, they’re first in line with the cheers, the hugs, the words of encouragement.
But when the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships were getting underway Wednesday at TD Garden, it was just the dad, Doug, standing under a spotlight and speaking words that were on a par with Spencer’s skating. Memorable. Forward-looking.
It was just under two months ago that Spencer, 16, and his mom were among the 28 members of the figure skating community who lost their lives in the collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 and an Army helicopter over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. This uber-competitive but tight-knit community has been in mourning ever since, even as training and the competitions go on, as they must.
And so it was with Wednesday’s remembrance at the world championships, which included remarks by Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, Boston mayor Michelle Wu and International Skating Union president Jae Youl Kim.
But it was Doug Lane of Barrington, R.I., representing all the families who had lost loved ones in the crash, and he spoke in a way that suggested he has watched a lot of figure skating over the years. He was precise. He was dignified. And though his voice cracked a few times, he expressed no anger.
“My first hope is that even as we remember the amazing people from our figure skating community that we lost, we take extra care to lift up the young skaters that are still here. They’re hurting. I hope we can support them in their skating journeys, but I also hope we can help them find happiness and impact off the ice as well.
“My second hope is that we extend the love and support to people beyond the figure skating community who have also been impacted.
“He thanked “the first responders who jumped into action to help our loved ones, without regard to their physical or mental perils that they faced.”
“What Lane said next brought home the harsh reality of what happened that night in Washington. A plane and a helicopter collided and exploded. Sixty-seven people were killed.
“The final hope I’ll share today is that we can prevent something like this from ever happening again. “Even a layperson like me can easily identify the systematic breakdowns that allow this to happen. But rather than looking for places to place blame, I hope that we can work with our elected officials to make air travel safer for everyone and for all our families.”
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