Maxim Naumov made his Olympic debut on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, just one year after losing both his parents in a tragic plane crash. The 24-year-old figure skater, who carries a photo of his parents with him as he competes, is known for his resiliency in the face of such heartbreak.
On January 29, 2025, Maxim's parents, Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shiskova, were aboard the American Airlines flight that collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter above Washington, D.C. The crash claimed the lives of Vadim, Evgenia, and 65 other people, including many members of the U.S. figure skating community who were traveling home from a competition in Wichita, Kansas.
During an interview with Today, Maxim said: "[My parents] were beautiful people. They were so incredibly kind. The only way out is through. There's no other way. There are no options but to keep going. I don't have the strength or the passion or the drive, or the dedication of one person anymore. It's three people."
As Maxim performs at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, here's everything you need to know about the figure skater.
© Getty ImagesMaxim's parents were Olympic skaters too
Evgenia and Vadim were born in St. Petersburg, Russia and started skating for the former USSR. Per their obituary, the two teamed up in 1985 and earned "a reputation for their classical style, impeccable technique, and artistic expression."
Maxim's parents competed at the 1992 and 1994 Olympics, though they never medaled. However, their careers at the World Figure Skating Championships were more successful. In 1994, Evgenia and Vadim won the gold for their pairs performance.
© InstagramMaxim's early life with skater parents
After marrying in 1995 and moving to the United States in 1998, Evgenia welcomed Maxim on August 1, 2001. He started his athletic career in gymnastics, but soon followed in his parents' footsteps and began figure skating.
When Maxim turned five, his parents started coaching him. "Knowing that you may not need the skills that you've trained 25 years to develop can leave you with an empty feeling," Vadim told NewEngland.com in 2007. "Fortunately, Evgenia and I found coaching."
© InstagramMaxim traveled on the same day his parent's plane crashed
While returning home from the U.S. Championships in Wichita, Kansas, Maxim traveled on a different flight. He told Today in March 2025 that his mom called him just before taking off.
"She was like, 'Hey, I just want you to know that we love you and we're proud of you,'" he recalled. "It means everything to me. My whole life, a part of it, was to make them proud."
Two days before her death, Evgenia wrote to Instagram: "Once again, Maxim made us all proud, getting on to the podium at Nationals after 7th place in the short. This beautiful and emotional performance is a result of a team work. Maxim has earned his place in the team of 4 Continents."
© Getty ImagesWinning the bronze in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships
After losing his parents, Maxim announced he wanted to continue skating. He hired longtime family friend Vladimir Petrenko as his head coach. In January 2026, Maxim won the bronze medal at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and officially made Team USA.
"I would not be sitting here without the unimaginable work, effort and love from my parents," he said after making the 2026 Olympic team. "It means absolutely everything to me, fulfilling the dream that we collectively had as a family since I first was on the ice at five years old. So it means absolutely everything. And I know they're looking down, smiling and proud."
© Getty ImagesMaxim remembers his parents through his career
After his performance at the 2026 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Maxim held up a photo of himself and his parents on the ice when he was three. He told Today that he took the photo with him to Milan as well.
"I wanted them to...literally share that moment with me because they deserve it. They deserve to be there right next to me," he told Today. "If I can get an opportunity to share their legacy, what they mean to me and what they've done for me, I'm gonna take every opportunity to do so."
