Two Russian figure skating coaches with strong Connecticut ties were among those killed after an American Airlines flight and Army helicopter collided and crashed into the frigid waters of the Potomac River Wednesday night.

U.S. Figure Skating is confirming several members of its skating community are among the victims of the Washington D.C. plane crash. One local figure skater said she knows firsthand just how much these individuals meant to the sport.

Sam Lilley, a young fiancé awaiting his fall wedding, was piloting the American Airlines flight that was minutes away from a safe landing when a collision with an Army helicopter plunged both aircrafts and everyone on board into Virginia’s Potomac River.