The figure skating community was rocked this week after Olympic medalist Denis Ten was killed in a robbery in Kazakhstan.
JJJ got the chance to speak with Mirai Nagasu at Kids’ Choice Sports 2018 about Denis‘s passing and learned how she’s treating life from now on.
“Today in our skating community a close friend of mine passed away, he was actually murdered,” Mirai told us.
“It’s really crazy. I’m still at the age where we’re really young and really youthful and we think about the future a lot,” she added.
“To see that cut short for someone who was so talented and to have known him personally it really hurts deeply because it wasn’t something any of us were expecting.”
Now, Mirai is treating every day like it’s a treasure.
“I think today, every day is a gift. Today I’m really appreciative for my life, for my friends, for my family, just to be here. I take it one day at a time.”
The figure skating community is still in shock after hearing about Denis Ten‘s untimely passing this morning.
Meryl Davis, Gracie Gold, Alex Shibutani, Maia Shibutani, Mirai Nagasu, Jason Brown, Spanish skater Javier Fernandez, Adam Rippon, Vincent Zhou, and Ashley Wagner have all opened up about their friendships with him.
“So very saddened by the loss of this special young man,” Meryl wrote on Twitter. “Denis, your heart, passion, kindness & generosity will not be forgotten. My thoughts are with your family, friends & fans whose lives you’ve made brighter. What a devastating loss for our skating family.”
Gracie added on her Instagram, “I am absolutely heartbroken today. The world has lost a kind, brilliant, and talented hero. Some of my fondest memories of skating come from the years I trained with Denis. From late night photo shoots to daily locker room shenanigans, Denis always knew how to make you smile. You will be so missed Denis.”
If you missed the sad news, Denis was killed this morning in Kazakhstan in a robbery gone wrong.
Read more tributes to Denis inside now… More Here! »
The skating world was rocked this morning after it was announced that Olympic figure skater Denis Ten was murdered.
The 25-year-old Kazakhstanian skater died in the hospital after a knife attack.
It’s reported that the incident took place in Almaty, when Denis started to argue with two unknown men who had attempted to steal mirrors from his car. It quickly escalated into a serious altercation in which the athlete received knife wounds.
Denis unfortunately passed away after undergoing surgery.
If you remember, Denis won the bronze medal at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, the first for the nation.
Adam Rippon was one of the first to respond to his tragic passing.
“My skating friend, @Tenis_Den, passed away today,” he wrote on Twitter. “He was so kind to everyone and a huge inspiration to me and so many other people. Murdered in the streets of Kazakhstan. Denis, thank you for showing us how to be a champion. Your time with us was way too short. Love you forever.”
Sending our thoughts to Denis‘s family at this time.
