CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A highly decorated figure skater turned coach is one of many mourning the tragic loss of life following the deadly midair collision in Washington, D.C.

Coach Matthew Gates is at a loss of words, reflecting on the moment he learned that an American Airlines flight and a military Black Hawk helicopter collided. The commercial flight was carrying several figure skaters and coaches who attended a training camp and competition in Wichita, Kansas. Gates said he had two student athletes in attendance.

“It made sense that they could possibly be on the flight, and I was desperately texting them, and I’m trying to figure out if they were on the flight,” Gates said.

Fortunately, neither of his students was on board, but coaches he’s worked alongside in his career were.

Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov coached several figure skaters at The Skating Club of Boston. The retired athletes were parents to Maxim Naumov, who finished fourth on January 26 in the senior men’s competition at the U.S. National Championships. Gates said Maxim Naumov traveled to Boston on an earlier flight on the day of the crash, where his parents tragically died.

From left, Vadim Naumov, Evengia Shishkova, Maxim Naumov and Matthew Gates pose at U.S. Nationals. Shiskova and Vadim Naumov perished in the American Airlines crash with a Black Hawk helicopter last week in Washington, D.C. (Courtesy: Matthew Gates)

“I recently saw them in November when I was at the sectional final in Boston, and it’s like no time had passed since the time I’d seen them before,” Gates said.

He said travel comes with the territory of competitive skating.

“Skaters are used to traveling, it’s part of what we do. We travel all over the world at high level, and even in the U.S.,” Gates said.

Recently he flew to Washington, D.C. and describes feeling emotional as the plane touched down after the horrific tragedy.

“I just came back through Washington, D.C., and it was very eerie, kind of going through that airspace. I just had that feeling of immense, kind of like grief, for what’s happened and… I can’t stop thinking about it,” Gates said.

Gates says there is no denying how close-knit the skating community is.

“A lot of the coaches that I know are the same coaches year after year, because they have the ability to be able to produce that level of skating quickly with young skaters,” Gates said.

The next large event for the skating community will be the World Figure Skating Championships, which will take place March 25-30 in Boston. He expects a big tribute to the skaters and coaches and all lives lost on that American Airlines flight.