For American figure skater Maxim Naumov, the journey to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina was not just about the athletic achievement of making the U.S. Men’s Figure Skating Team – it was about a testament to the love, resilience, and legacy of his parents.
Just one year before his Olympic debut, Naumov experienced the devastating loss of both of his parents in a catastrophic event that shook the figure skating world and changed his life forever.
His Parents Were Killed in the Plane-Helicopter Collision in Washington, D.C.
GettyEvgenia Shiskova and Vadim Naumov
On January 29, 2025, Naumov’s parents, Vadim Naumov, 55, and Evgenia Shishkova, 52, were among the 67 people who were killed when American Airlines Flight 5342 collided mid-air with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter on approach to Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. The deadly mid-air crash occurred as both aircraft were flying at low altitude, resulting in a collision that sent debris and lives into the icy waters of the Potomac River.
Naumov’s parents were traveling aboard the American Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 airliner as coaches for the Skating Club of Boston. At the time of the mid-air collision, they were returning from a U.S. Figure Skating National Development Camp in Wichita, Kansas. Maxim was not traveling with his parents at the time.
Prior to their coaching careers, both Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova were Olympic figure skaters who competed in the Figure Skating Pairs competition in both the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics. They competed on behalf of Russia before they moved to the United States to coach at the International Skating Center in Simsbury, Connecticut.
Together, Naumov and Shishkova were partners in figure skating and later became partners when they wed in 1995. Their son and only child, Maxim, was born in 2001. Together, the family dreamed of Maxim making the Olympic Team, but his parents did not live to see their collective dream realized when Maxim qualified for the U.S. Men’s Figure Skating Team as one of three male soloists in artistic skating for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.
He Held a Photo of His Parents After His Olympic Skating Debut
GettyMaxim Naumov’s dating and family status: Learn more about the Olympic figure skater who’s competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
At the 2026 Winter Games, Maxim Naumov’s Olympic debut was one of the most emotionally charged moments of the competition. Fans cheered their support for Naumov’s presence at the games, not merely for his athleticism but for what his performance symbolized about his journey. Competing in the Men’s Figure Skating Short Program event, Naumov delivered a heartfelt routine set to the song Nocturne No. 20. His performance earned him the best scores of the season and allowed him to advance to the Men’s Free Skate.
Before he even took to the ice, the arena’s jumbotron screen displayed a powerful dedication from Naumov to his parents which read, “Mom and Dad, this is for you.” His words set the tone for his performance as he skated a routine that was technically sound and emotionally resounding. The crowd cheered with widespread applause and emotion as Naumov finished skating.
When the music concluded, Naumov made his way to the affectionately termed “kiss and cry” area, where skaters await their scores. But what happened next was far from expected. Clutching a cherished childhood photo of himself with his parents, Maxim lifted the picture for all to see, allowing the world to witness his deeply personal tribute. The photograph showed Maxim as a young boy positioned between his mother and father on the ice rink, and it fittingly represented the legacy of his family which Maxim carries forward.
In the same moment that Naumov lifted the photograph of his younger self with his parents, the crowd became even louder and everyone in the arena stood with him in the emotional moment. As his score was announced, Maxim kissed the photograph in a moment that symbolized the realization of his family’s dream and legacy.
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