Maxim Naumov Reflects on Parents’ Legacy After Fatal January Plane Crash

The figure skater shares his parents' final words, their decision to switch flights, and his efforts to honor their memory through skating and youth programs.

The January 29, 2025, midair collision near Washington, D.C., killed 67 people, including 28 members of the figure skating community, including Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov.
Maxim Naumov revealed that his parents had switched to the ill-fated flight shortly before the crash and shared their final words of love and pride.
Naumov performed an emotional tribute at the March 2 'Legacy on Ice' event in Washington, D.C., skating to his parents’ favorite Russian love song.
He has taken over the youth academy program his parents founded at the Skating Club of Boston, continuing their legacy through coaching and mentorship.
The crash, the first major U.S. commercial airline accident since 2009, has prompted discussions on aviation safety and deep mourning within the skating community.