World-class ice skaters to hold tribute show in Philadelphia, honoring DC plane crash victims

ARDMORE, Pa. (WPVI) -- As skaters practiced their morning routines at Philadelphia Skating Club and Humane Society in Ardmore, two-time Olympian Johnny Weir, reigning World Champion Alysa Liu, and 2024 World silver medalist Isabeau Levito were on the ice with Action News.

The trio of world-class skaters announced a tribute show set for Labor Day at the University of Pennsylvania to honor the victims of the January plane crash near Reagan Airport in Washington, D.C.

Two identical performances will take place on Labor Day, at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., with the same cast for both.

Tickets go on sale on Wednesday.

"It's just a beautiful experience to be together after such a horrible thing," Liu said.

"In times of grief, it's really hard to know the right thing to do -- the thing that will be the most meaningful, and as a community we did what we know how to do, and that's skate," said Weir.

The March event in DC raised more than $1 million for victim support organizations.

"Backstage, I was talking with production and said we need to do one in Philly to remember those that we lost from this area, and it will be such a memorable day, of course. A memorable show," Weir said.

"It felt like a moment of closure, a step in the right direction for everyone to acknowledge it and sit with the emotions of what happened," Levito said.

While the full lineup has not been announced for the Philadelphia show, Olympians, world, and national figure skating champions will come together to honor the lives lost in the tragic crash.

Weir, Levito, and Liu all took part in the DC tribute and will headline the show in Philadelphia.

"It was a really special experience for everybody, and a lot of those skaters were from Philadelphia too, so I feel like we owe it here to make a really good show," said Liu.

"Just thinking that the Philadelphia area raised me and so many great champions through the years -- I thought that we should definitely celebrate them here," said Weir.

This show turns its attention to the losses in the Philadelphia-area skating community including skaters, coaches, and family members.

"Many people here were affected as well- it's such a tight-knit community, and everyone knows everyone," said Levito, who is from Mount Holly.

Matt Jacoby, 16, of Bala Cynwyd, lost his dance partner, 14-year-old Alydia Livingston, in the crash.

"She's like a ball of energy, always full of positivity, and I miss her," said Jacoby.

Livingston's sister and parents also perished.

"I went to Legacy on Ice in DC, and it was powerful, and it was a very moving experience. It was really good at representing the support of US figure skating and the higher athletes, so I think it's very important they're doing it again," Jacoby said.

"Figure skating is competitive. It's judged, it can be very divisive for fans at home, but what we witnessed in Washington for the first Legacy on Ice when our entire community came together -- it was just something that I think all of the skaters that were present there and everyone watching at home -- that memory will stay with them for the rest of our lives," Weir said.