After American Airlines Flight 5342 from Wichita collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter as it reached Washington, D.C., the city of Wichita took a collective breath and waited to hear who was on board.
We knew the flight carried 60 passengers, and as authorities searched the water of the Potomac River a thousand miles away, Wichitans waited anxiously for more information.
Sixty passengers, four crew members and three military personnel on board the two aircraft were killed that night, including several young ice skaters who had trained at an elite camp here early in the week.
In Wichita, known as the Air Capital of the World, and here at Wichita State, people are familiar with this feeling of uncertainty and dread.
More than 54 years ago, Wichita State suffered a tragedy that would forever shape its history. On Oct. 2, 1970, a plane carrying WSU football players, staff and administrators crashed into the mountains of Colorado.
Then, 31 lives were lost. Memorial ’70 displayed at Wichita State serves as a solemn reminder of that sorrow, but it also reminds us of the community’s strength and resilience despite disaster. Every year, people gather to remember the lives lost and the history of Wichita State.
Now, the city is connected to another heartbreaking loss. And at Wichita State, we have again lost one of our own.
Kiah Duggins, an alumna of Wichita State, was one of those victims. Many remember Duggins as a beacon of optimism, not only in Wichita but wherever she went. Duggins left her mark on Wichita State through her advocacy for her fellow students, including starting a food pantry, the Shocker Support Locker, and through the memories of her former classmates, teachers and mentors.
The weight of each life lost, though, cannot be understated.
When The Sunflower’s editors mobilized the day following the accident to document the community’s response, we were met with kind words of support from grieving Wichitans, despite the anguish and pain the community’s enduring.
We were also met by the friendly faces of other former Sunflower reporters and editors. Generations of Sunflower staffers shared press conference rooms, information and advice — much as they likely did in 1970.
As we rely on each other to uplift our spirits, we hope that the rest of the Wichita community can do the same.
Our hearts go out to the people around the world impacted by this tragedy. We grieve for the skating community who our city embraced for the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and for the elite youth skating camp that accompanied it. And we remind everyone that through these difficulties, we have the opportunity to come together as a community to lift others.
