A midair collision on Jan. 29, 2025, when American Airlines Flight 5342 went down over the Potomac River, claimed 67 lives and destroyed countless families. Among the victims were Peter and Donna Livingston and their daughters, Everly, 14, and Alydia ("Lydie"), 11. For relatives and friends, the loss has left a profound void in their community and lives.
“It’s an entire branch of our family tree gone,” Peter’s cousin Amy Hunter told PEOPLE, describing the depth of grief felt across the family.
Family, Community And Skating
Peter and Donna lived in Ashburn, Northern Virginia, where their lives were centered on their daughters’ burgeoning figure skating careers. Both Everly and Alydia skated with the Washington Figure Skating Club and had qualified for the U.S. Figure Skating National Development Camp in Wichita, Kansas. The family was returning home from that camp when Flight 5342 crashed.
Relatives describe Peter as a devoted father and community member who balanced a successful real-estate career with an infectious warmth. Hunter fondly recalled Peter’s homegrown enthusiasm for skating: each winter he would build a backyard ice surface — jokingly called the "Livingston Ice Plex" — so the girls could practice close to home.
Alydia, 11, and Everly, 14Courtesy the Livingston family
Donna was remembered for her bright personality and professional achievements. Rachel Feres, another cousin, said Donna worked as an executive at Comcast and was often a connector who introduced people to one another for their mutual benefit.
Everly and Alydia were admired for both their talent and distinct personalities. Hunter said Everly was quieter and reserved with a dry sense of humor, while Alydia was vivacious and always cracking jokes. The girls shared moments of their routines online under the Instagram handle @ice_skating_sisters, and family members believe one or both may have had Olympic-level potential.
Aftermath, Support And Advocacy
In the wake of the crash, bereaved families formed close bonds. Hunter and Feres helped organize a biweekly online support group that has grown to 118 members. That community has channeled grief into advocacy, pressing the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and lawmakers for concrete safety reforms.
The families’ efforts contributed to rising public and congressional attention. In December 2025, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved the Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform (ROTOR) Act (S.2503), legislation aimed at closing regulatory gaps and strengthening oversight in the wake of the Flight 5342 disaster.
Peter and Donna LivingstonCourtesy the Livingston family
Feres said the work is driven by a desire to prevent future tragedies. “My cousin and his wife and his two daughters deserved better — everybody on board 5342 and everybody on board the Black Hawk and the people in the tower all deserved better than what happened that night,” she said. “That’s been a driving mission for me and for the other families ever since.”
Both cousins spoke at a memorial service in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 28, 2026, marking the anniversary and honoring the 67 victims and the emergency responders who rushed to the crash site. At the service, Feres said: “We cannot change what happened, but love does not end with remembrance. It moves us to protect others — that is how love carries forward, not only in memory but in action.”
For family and friends, the personal losses remain immeasurable. As Hunter reflected: “They were full of life; when the four of them walked in, they lit up a room.” Their relatives hope that by sharing memories and pushing for systemic change, the lives lost will spur safeguards that keep other families from enduring a similar fate.
Courtesy the Livingston family
