OlderFigure Skaters Meryl Davis, Gracie Gold, Alex Shibutani & More Pay Tribute to Denis Ten After His Untimely Death
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…
Love you, D10. I’m honored and so grateful that I had the opportunity to meet you. Thank you for being my friend. I hope that we meet again someday.
— Alex Shibutani (@AlexShibutani) July 19, 2018
A dreamer and a doer. Devastated to hear about the loss of Denis Ten. Kind, talented, motivated, thoughtful, creative, funny, wise, a visionary… He changed so many peoples’ lives including mine. Sending my love and thoughts to his family.
— Maia Shibutani (@MaiaShibutani) July 19, 2018
Today, the world lost a bright star. Denis was not only incredibly talented, but also the kind of athlete where his kindness and light was felt way beyond the rink. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, his friends and all the people that he made smile. You are missed. https://t.co/46oNfGBQQt
— Ashley Wagner (@AshWagner2010) July 19, 2018
His talent was so much more than just being an athlete. He constantly amazed me with his capabilities and his passions in life. Denis, you were taken too soon from us. I think the entire community in in shock from this, and this loss will be felt for quite a while. https://t.co/3cY5PsZoOd
— Ashley Wagner (@AshWagner2010) July 19, 2018
(translation: It was only 2 years ago. Denis seemed to be the most fun, unusual and one of the most creative people in the world of figure skating. It’s impossible to believe. I don’t want and I won’t be able to believe. Sorry to all the loved ones denisa. Never forget his laugh.)
Posted to: Adam Rippon, Alex Shibutani, Ashley Wagner, denis ten, Gracie Gold, Jason Brown, Javier Fernandez, Maia Shibutani, Meryl Davis, Mirai Nagasu, RIP, Vincent Zhou
