As the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina approach, American figure skater Maxim Naumov is diving into what promises to be the most emotionally intense season of his career. The three-time U.S. pewter medalist has been so close to reaching elite international success for a while now. He’s not just chasing his own Olympic dreams; he’s also carrying the legacy of his parents, Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova. They were the 1994 World Pairs Champions and coached him throughout his life until their tragic passing in the January 2025 Potomac River mid-air collision.

Naumov found himself dealing with a huge void after their sudden loss, both in his personal life and his career. He had to think about whether he could keep skating without the two people who had influenced every part of his life, on and off the ice. After the tragedy, Naumov really struggled to put his coaching support system back together.

According to the official US figure skating website, Maxim Naumov shared how tough it was to learn to trust new mentors, saying, “It was difficult to begin to trust somebody, because there was never a question with my parents. They knew me almost better than I know myself.” His parents didn’t just teach him jumps and spins; they also helped him build the confidence he needed to perform well when it mattered most.

Things really changed for Naumov when he got an invitation from the famous French choreographer Benoit Richaud to join a training camp in Europe. Richaud, who snagged the 2024 ISU Best Choreography award, is well-known for his work with stars like Kaori Sakamoto and Adam Siao Him Fa. He brings a flexible, collaborative style to the table, which really sets him apart from the usual coaching methods.

Naumov recalled, “Immediately, Benoit was welcoming and told me that he was there to help me in any way possible. Through the camp experience, I got to know his method, and his style and seeing him work with his students every day gave me a lot of information about how the coach-student dynamic works with him.”

What started as a two-week commitment turned into a seven-week partnership, where Richaud and Naumov teamed up to create two new programs filled with emotional depth and personal meaning. However, Naumov’s first public admission of his parents’ tragic passing was a very painful occasion.

Maxim Naumov spoke with teary eyes

Maxim Naumov, who used to be the U.S. junior men’s figure skating champion, faced an unimaginable loss when both of his parents, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who were also former world champions and coaches, tragically died in a mid-air collision between a commercial flight and an Army helicopter on January 29 near Washington D.C. He started to feel that something was off when he didn’t get his usual post-competition call from his mother.

A few days later, Maxim had an interview with Craig Melvin from Today, where he shared the last memory he would hold of his parents. It was his mother’s final call—her voice brimming with pride as she congratulated him on his performance at Nationals. “It means everything to me; I mean, my whole life, part of it was to make them proud,” the 23-year-old shared, his voice shaking.

Eventually, Melvin just casually asked a question that really hit home: “Have you thought about moving on?” Maxim was quiet for a moment. He let out a breath and shook his head a bit, saying, “I don’t have the strength or the passion or the drive. The dedication of one person anymore. It’s three people.” Even though the figure skating star was out there on his own, he was carrying three hearts with him—his own and the two that were lost. From here on out, he plans to give the upcoming Winter Olympics his all.