A close family friend of a Virginia family tragically killed in the mid-air collision involving American Airlines Flight 5342 is speaking out, sharing heartbreaking photos they sent just before takeoff.
The images, taken on January 29 by Donna Livingston, capture a joyful moment before disaster struck. One photo shows her two daughters—14-year-old Everly and 11-year-old Alydia—smiling in their seats. Another image features Donna and her husband, Peter, taking a selfie before departure.
The Livingston Family Christmas Photo, Photo Credit: Jin Ah Longerbeam/Facebook
Jin Ah Longerbeam, a longtime friend of the family, received the pictures from Donna before the flight’s tragic end. The aircraft, en route to Virginia from Wichita, Kansas, was returning home after the girls attended an elite ice skating camp designed for Olympic hopefuls.
Longerbeam, heartbroken over the loss, tearfully described the girls as “my little babies” in an emotional statement. Having known them since they were young, she said their deaths leave an unfillable void.
Everly and Alydia Livingston posing inside an ice skating rink, Photo Credit: Peter Livingston/Facebook
Her son, Wolfe Jin, who trained alongside Everly and Alydia at the local ice rink, remembered them as two of the brightest stars in their skating community. “They were loved by everyone,” he told reporters, adding that their presence on the ice inspired younger skaters.
When news of the crash broke, Longerbeam and Wolfe rushed to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, desperate for confirmation and holding on to hope. They even brought coats, believing the girls might be cold if they had survived.
“Wolfe kept repeating, ‘They’re gonna be cold, we have to make sure they’re warm,’” she recalled, reflecting on the devastating reality they soon faced.
Everly and Alydia Livingston inside the American Airlines Flight 5342, Photo Credit: Jin Ah Longerbeam/Facebook
Ted Boyke, another close friend of the family, described Peter Livingston as a devoted father who put his family above everything else. “His daughters meant the world to him,” Boyke shared, adding that Peter was always coming up with ambitious ideas and making them a reality.
One of those ideas was building an ice rink in their backyard, a testament to his dedication to his daughters’ dreams. Every winter, he would lay down a tarp, board it off, and create a homemade rink where his daughters could practice—even during the COVID lockdowns when ice rinks were closed.
The devastating crash claimed the lives of all 67 people on board, including 60 passengers, four crew members, and three U.S. Army soldiers who were in the Black Hawk helicopter that collided with the aircraft.
As of January 31, authorities had recovered 41 victims’ remains, with 28 of them positively identified.
Everly and Alydia Livingston inside the American Airlines Flight 5342, Photo Credit: Jin Ah Longerbeam/Facebook
Among the passengers were parents traveling with their children, flight attendants, and a group of hunters returning from a trip.
While the official cause of the crash is still under investigation, aviation experts suspect the Army helicopter may not have seen the commercial jet before the collision.
An active-duty Army helicopter pilot, who spoke anonymously, suggested human error played a major role. “I guarantee it was basically pilot error,” he said.
As the nation mourns this devastating tragedy, friends and loved ones continue to grapple with the immense loss of the Livingston family, whose final moments were captured in a simple set of photos—now a heartbreaking reminder of a journey that never reached its destination.
Sources: People
