Svetlana Korneitchenko, a Russian figure skater who coaches in northeast Ohio, suffered massive chest and brian injuries in a car crash Tuesday in Strongsville. The 37-year-old was in critical condition Sunday at MetroHealth Medical Center.

"I think within 24 hours of the accident, every Russian skater knew what had happened," said Olympic silver medalist Elena Bechke, who grew up in St. Petersburg, Russia, with Korneitchenko and her husband, Dmitri. "She is like the best, always smiling and just a great person. Dmitri will never have anyone like her, I'm pretty sure. She is one in a million."

Russian skaters and coaches have traveled to be with Korneitchenko's husband. Among them are former world champion Alexander Fadeev and Igor Shpilband, an ice-dancing coach from Detroit who worked with two-time Olympians Elizabeth Punsalan and Jerod Swallow. Bechke and Olympic gold medalist Ekaterina Gordeeva have been in contact with Korneitchenko's husband by phone.

"She is my friend and my wife. If you split a heart into two pieces, one half would be hers and the other half would be mine," he told a friend Friday.

The skating community in Cleveland is working to raise money for Korneitchenko's medical expenses.