US Figure Skater Vows to Honour Parents at Winter Olympics Following Devastating Air Disaster
American figure skater Maxim Naumov has secured his place on the US team for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, carrying with him the profound memory of his parents who perished in a tragic airplane crash just over a year ago. The 24-year-old athlete, who recently claimed third place at the US national championships, faces the monumental task of competing on the world's biggest sporting stage while navigating intense personal grief.
A Community Shattered by Tragedy
Naumov's parents, former pairs world champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, were among 67 people killed when American Airlines Flight 5342 collided with a military helicopter during its approach to Ronald Reagan National Airport on 29 January 2025. The aircraft subsequently plunged into the icy waters of the Potomac River, claiming the lives of numerous members of the figure skating community.
The couple, who served as respected coaches at the prestigious Skating Club of Boston, were returning from a development camp in Wichita, Kansas alongside eleven other skaters, four coaches, and several family members. Naumov himself had departed earlier, having just completed his fourth-place finish at the national championships.
Personal Rituals and Public Tributes
In private moments away from the public gaze, Naumov finds comfort in a cherished photograph of himself as a three-year-old, standing alongside his parents on the ice. "Once a week I try to have that space with them, in whatever capacity that might be," he revealed. "It could be a photo, talking to someone about them. It could be anything. It's been therapeutic in a way."
The catastrophic event sent shockwaves throughout the tightly-knit figure skating world. 1984 Olympic champion Scott Hamilton expressed the collective devastation: "It was devastating. I've never been that sad. So many promising young skaters were just gone."
Two-time ice dance world champion Meryl Davis added her voice to the chorus of grief: "My heart was shattered thinking of those sweet, young souls." The victims, some as young as eleven years old, represented skating clubs across America's eastern seaboard, their Olympic aspirations abruptly terminated.
Navigating Grief and Finding Purpose
The immediate aftermath plunged Naumov into profound sorrow. "I just wanted to rot, basically," he confessed, describing how even routine tasks became overwhelming. Yet from this darkness emerged determination, as he helped organise "Legacy on Ice" – a Washington benefit honouring both the victims and the first responders who attended the crash scene.
The emotionally charged event featured moving performances, including one by 13-year-old Isabella Aparicio, who lost both her brother and father in the disaster. The gathering raised over $1 million for affected families, demonstrating the skating community's remarkable solidarity.
Three-time world champion Ilia Malinin observed: "I was proud to see the way people came together as a family."
Olympic Dreams Forged in Adversity
One of Naumov's final conversations with his parents, occurring mere hours before they boarded the ill-fated flight, centred on his Olympic aspirations. Now, a year later, he has transformed their shared vision into reality. Following his qualifying performance, he reflected: "Look at what we've done. All the sacrifices we made. Everything we've been through."
The skater will carry tangible reminders of his parents to Italy – a gold cross received as a baptism gift and his father's white gold ring. These physical tokens will accompany him as he competes on Olympic ice.
"There's parts of life that are difficult, you know?" Naumov acknowledged. "But I think within those difficult times and moments of like, talking about this story, it's still such a privilege to share. My intention is to share it as much as possible, because not only do my parents deserve all the praise and recognition and the fact that I wouldn't be here without them, but also to inspire other athletes, or people in general, to know that there is a way. No matter what, there is a way."
The figure skating community continues to demonstrate extraordinary resilience, with athletes like Anthony Ponomarenko – preparing for his Olympic ice dancing debut – emphasising their collective bond: "We all have that same bond, this unspoken, overall connection. I told Max, 'Whatever you need, I'm there.' We had a really special heart to heart, all of us together."
As the Winter Olympics approach, Maxim Naumov's journey represents far more than athletic achievement – it stands as a powerful testament to human resilience, familial love, and a sporting community's capacity to heal together.
