(WXYZ) — The figure skating world is a tight-knit community, and skaters and coaches here in metro Detroit are mourning the loss of their friends who were killed after a passenger jet and military helicopter collided near Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, on Wednesday evening.
"I grew up with most of those people that were on that plane," said Mina Esfandiari.
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Mina and her brother, Adam, are members of the Skating Club of Novi, and said they were devastated to hear about the crash. Mina said she spoke to one of the families shortly before the flight.
"We talked to them right before the flight and she was saying how she had so much fun at the camp that was in Wichita. And it's just so devastating to hear all that has happened," said Mina.
"I was just very emotional. I was crying for like a whole hour straight," said Adam.
7 News Detroit is not naming the victims until they are officially identified.
"All she could do was just laugh and smile, and she was just such a pure soul and the whole family was just so, so, so sweet," Mina said, referencing some of the victims.
Mina said her best friend's father also died in the crash.
"Being on the phone with her all night, [I] really didn't get any sleep," she said. "When I would be upset at a competition or anything, he would always know how to make me laugh and smile."
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Other local skaters and coaches in the community are also trying to grapple with the news.
"As soon as I heard Wichita, my heart just dropped," said Christian Bennett, a local competitive skater.
Danielle Gamelin, the director at the Skating Club of Novi, also reflected on the coaches she lost in the tragedy.
"It was a coach that took my brother and I to Junior Grand Prix. So it was a pretty prominent coach in our lives. I know my brother called me in tears and ... it's difficult to describe that kind of loss," said Gamelin.
"It's really brought the skating world to its knees," said Bennett.
And this is the beginning of a long road of healing in the skating world and beyond.
"All I could do was call the people that we knew were on that flight and to hear that their calls went straight to voicemail. And just to hear the voice," she said. "We left them voicemails, even though we know they won't be able to hear it."
