Maxim Naumov was destined for the rink from his earliest days. Born to 1990s figure skater legends and Olympic competitors Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, Maxim naturally developed a passion for the sport. He was coached closely by his parents, who both died in a mid-air collision near Washington, D.C. in January 2025—an accident Maxim had narrowly avoided when he made the decision to fly home earlier than scheduled. The accident took the lives of 67 people.

Despite grief, Maxim used the sport to honour his parents' memory. Since their death, Maxim has given stellar performances in figure skating, eventually earning him a spot in the United States Olympic team for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games, fulfilling a dream he created with his parents.

Here are 10 photos showing the love, legacy, and resilience Maxim Naumov has shown.

Maxim Naumov was born on 1 August 2001 in Hartford, Connecticut to 1994 World Champions in pairs Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova.

From age five, Maxim has been on the rink, his parents as inspiration. He told NBC Sports in January 2026 after securing a spot in theOlympicsteam, 'It means so much in our family, and it's what I've been thinking about since I've been five years old, before I even knew how to think or what to think,' as shared by People.

U.S. figure skater Maxim Naumov is making his Olympic debut after his parents were among the 67 killed when a plane crashed into a military helicopter on Jan. 29, 2025.He carried their memory with him to Italy and delivered an emotional, heartfelt short program ❤️pic.twitter.com/YgFdIKPgCz

Maxim's parents were aboard the American Eagle Flight 5342 and were killed in the 2025 Potomac River mid-air collision, colliding with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter. Before their flight took off, Maxim shared receiving a phone call from his mother, who informed him of their flight change.

Before his Olympic debut, Maxim earned the 4th spot in the 2025 USFigure SkatingChampionships.

In an interview, Maxim told the press that he would 'tune everything out' when he is on ice, 'And I'm just talking with them, and they're helping me.'

After his routine in the men's single figure skating short program Tuesday night, Maxim Naumov fell on his knees, looked up, and said, 'Look what we just did,' talking to his late parents and dedicating his performance to them, perNBC News.

Source: International Business Times UK