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The figure skating community experienced immense grief this week aft 14 members of the assemblage were tragically killed successful a midair craft collision successful Washington D.C. connected Wednesday night.
Their nonaccomplishment came conscionable a time earlier two-time Olympic golden medalist Dick Button, a pioneer successful the athletics who would besides spell connected to person a legendary broadcasting career, died astatine 95.
"On this terrible, bittersweet time for fig skating with the nonaccomplishment of young upcoming endowment and their household members and coaches successful the level crash, I americium further heartbroken with the nonaccomplishment of fig skating legend, my friend, Dick Button," Brian Boitano, who won a golden medal successful the 1988 Winter Olympics successful Calgary, wrote successful a station connected societal media.
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"RIP, Dick Button," erstwhile American sports newsman Michele Tafoya said successful different post.
"I similar to deliberation you went to eden successful clip to invited the young skaters and coaches who perished successful Wednesday’s tragedy. May you each glide among the stars together."
A victor of 2 Olympic golden medals, 5 consecutive satellite championships, 7 consecutive U.S. titles, and three-straight North American titles, Button was 1 of the astir accomplished men’s fig skaters.
He was the archetypal to onshore a treble axel and triple leap successful competition, some starring to triumph astatine the Olympics. After his skating vocation ended, Button would participate the satellite of broadcasting, yet earning the sanction "The Voice of Figure Skating."
Button died Thursday successful North Salem, New York, his household confirmed Thursday.
"U.S. Figure Skating mourns the nonaccomplishment of the legendary Dick Button," the enactment said successful a statement. "The two-time Olympic champion’s pioneering benignant & award-winning tv commentary revolutionized fig skating. His bequest volition unrecorded connected forever. We widen our deepest condolences to his household & loved ones."
Olympic golden medalist Scott Hamilton spoke astir Wednesday’s calamity and nonaccomplishment of Button, a bully friend, successful an quality connected TODAY Friday.
Hamilton was successful Wichita, Kansas, astatine the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and was acquainted with immoderate of the victims successful Wednesday’s crash, including satellite champion pairs skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov.
"It’s conscionable been beyond thing I tin handle," a tearful Hamilton said of the losses.
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