At the end of January, the deadliest collision of a commercial jet and a military helicopter took place near Washington D.C. — 67 people lost their lives. Many of these people belonged to the figure skating community, skaters, coaches, and parents included. One up-and-coming skater, Olivia Eve Ter, was one of them. The 12-year-old girl was accompanied by her mom, Olesya Taylor.
Needless to say, the loved ones of the D.C. plane crash victims continue to process the loss they experienced. That includes Olivia’s 14-year-old sister. We all grieve in different ways. And for this heartbroken teen, that included following through with her piano recital. In fact, her performance went so perfectly, it truly feels as though she was able to channel her grief into her art. See for yourself in the video below.
According to the official Olympics website, in the coming days and months, “there will be many tributes to honor the victims.” But for Olivia’s family, this piano recital was the perfect start. There’s no doubt that both Olivia and their mother, Olesya, would be oh-so proud of this talented pianist.
Young Teen Delivers a Heartbreakingly Beautiful Performance After Losing Both Her Sister and Mom in D.C. Plane Crash
“She’s playing Rachmaninoff at 14?! I just wanna scoop her up & protect her. She put EVERYTHING into this. You can hear it,” someone points out in reply to this touching performance, with another person adding, “Art created through pain is some of the most beautiful. She is so brave for that. Standing ovation.”
Since the tragic D.C. plane crash, a number of other victims have been honored in various ways. Ian Epstein, a flight attendant onboard the commercial flight, is one of them. He was given a tear-jerking honor as his remains were returned home.