Dad who lost teen son and wife in American Airlines plane crash shares heartbreaking tribute

Following the tragic crash of American Airlines flight 5342, which killed 67 people, one father is paying tribute to his son, Spencer Lane, who was onboard.

The flight was headed to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport when it collided with a Black Hawk helicopter on January 29. An immediate rescue operation was launched, but it quickly turned into a recovery mission after authorities confirmed the likely deaths of 64 people on the plane and 3 on the helicopter.

Among the passengers was 16-year-old Spencer Lane, a talented figure skater from the Skating Club of Boston. Doug Zeghibe, the club’s CEO, described Spencer as a “crazy kid” in the best way, adding, “Highly talented, has not been skating that long, and has been rocketing to the top of the sport.” Spencer was also traveling with members of the figure skating community, including world champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov.

Before his flight, Spencer shared a photo on Instagram with the caption “ICT -> DCA,” referring to the airports in Wichita and Washington, D.C.

This crash is the first major U.S. commercial airline disaster since 2009. Spencer’s father, Douglas Lane, spoke about the loss of his son. He told WPRI, “Whether he was in his home club in Boston, Spencer was just loved by everyone,” from other skaters to adults. He described Spencer as “a force of nature,” saying, “You simply could not stop him if he decided he wanted to do something.”

Douglas Lane also reflected on his son’s skating journey, from basic skating classes to joining the U.S. Figure Skating’s National Development Team in just a few years. “His ascent was unprecedented,” he said, adding how grateful they were that Spencer’s last week was filled with joy and surrounded by his skating family.

Douglas also remembered his wife, Christie, describing her as a creative person and a loving mother. “She was also a lover of animals,” he added, “and we lost track of how many dogs she helped find new homes.”

Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy.

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