In their poignant and final days together, Virginia residents Stephanie and Roger Haynos, accompanied by their spirited 16-year-old son, Cory, embarked on an emotional journey to Kansas. Their ultimate destination was a prestigious development camp for aspiring athletes, a place where Cory's exceptional skating talents could truly shine and blossom. However, tragedy struck in their return voyage as their plane, mere moments before touching down, collided with an Army helicopter above the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., leading to the untimely demise of all three beloved souls.
Marianne Crooch, a cherished family friend, recounted how she first learned of the historic and devastating plane crash in Washington, D.C., through the morning news the following day. "My heart sank, knowing full well that they were due to return home on Wednesday," she said with deep emotion. She hastily sent messages to Stephanie and dialed her phone, but there was no response from Stephanie, who usually never failed to answer. "I waited and waited, filled with anxiety," she said. Eventually, she learned from a colleague of Roger's close friend Jimmy that the ill-fated plane was indeed the one carrying the Haynos family. Jimmy had been waiting to greet them at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that very night.
The 62-year-old Crooch lamented that due to their demanding work schedules, Stephanie and Roger rarely had the chance to travel together to watch Cory skate. "Most of the time... one of them would accompany Cory while the other stayed home," she continued. This trip to Kansas was the first time in years that she could recall them traveling together. "They were so excited," Crooch recalled. "Stephanie was always talking about Cory's triple axel and our dreams of him going to the Olympics. There was a long road ahead and much hard work to be done."
Now residing in North Carolina, Crooch had once worked alongside Stephanie in the IT department of Fairfax County Public Schools. After retiring last year, Stephanie took up a position as a substitute teacher in the same school district, planning to work until Cory graduated. "Ask anyone, and they'll tell you that Stephanie was the kind of person who could light up a room," Crooch said. "She was like a beacon of light, always ending our phone calls with a gentle 'I love you.' She had a heart of gold."
The couple left behind their 19-year-old daughter, Emily, who was not on the flight. "Emily was incredibly bright but reserved," Crooch added. "She kept her thoughts to herself and is now struggling to cope with the profound grief of losing her parents and brother... It's incredibly difficult for a 19-year-old to come to terms with the brutal reality of losing her entire immediate family at once."
Speaking of the couple's 16-year-old son, Cory, Crooch described him as a joyful and diligent child. "He was incredibly disciplined. I mean, he would wake up at 4:30 every morning to practice, six days a week, rain or shine... His focus was astonishing, and skating was his unwavering dream," she recalled. Crooch had witnessed Cory's skating prowess firsthand, and it left her utterly mesmerized. "He was simply magical," she said. "He could do it all. I was always in awe of his performances, and Stephanie, who knew every move by name, would patiently explain them to me. Whenever he skated, she would provide me with a detailed commentary."
Stephanie had served on the board of the Northern Virginia Skating Club and was a tireless advocate for her son's skating dreams. Crooch shared a heartwarming story: Stephanie had once pursued a Ph.D. but gave it up to devote herself full-time to her children. "Emily had been involved in skating for years... and later, Cory expressed interest in trying it out after seeing his sister skate. The sport is so time-consuming," Crooch recalled. "She gave up her Ph.D. to care for them full-time, ensuring they made it to the rink every morning and evening."
Describing the couple's personalities, Crooch used words like "selfless," "loving," and "generous." "They were always giving," she added. "They always put others first and themselves last."
