Winter Olympics star ‘doesn’t have the strength’ after both parents died in plane crash | Other | Sport
Maxim Naumov is competing at the Winter Olympics in memory of his parents (Image: TODAY)
A figure skater is competing at the Winter Olympics in honour of his late parents, who died in a plane crash just over a year ago. Maxim Naumov is making his debut at the Games but will be representing far more than his country when he takes to the ice. His world was rocked last January when both of his parents, also Olympians, were killed in a tragic accident.
Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were among the 67 fatalities when a helicopter collided with an American Airlines passenger plane over Washington, D.C. It left Maxim, who represents the United States, unsure if he would ever compete again. One year on, he is ready for his maiden Winter Olympics with the memory of his parents spurring him on.
Speaking to Today, he reflected: “One thing that they always told me was: ‘Everything is practice until the Olympics. This is all to get ready for the Olympics’.
“I had those moments where I just froze. I didn’t know what to do. I said: ‘Hey, this is such a crucial and pivotal moment in my life’.
“If at this moment I don’t take on the responsibility, then I’ll look back forever on this moment, at my most vulnerable, at the most intense, and know that I did not step up.”
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Less than a month before the opening ceremony, Maxim kissed and held up a photo of his parents after competing in the free skate at the United States Figure Skating Championships.
“I wanted them to literally share that moment with me because they deserve it,” he explained. “They deserve to be there right next to me.
“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.”
Maxim held up a photo of his parents at the United States Figure Skating Championships (Image: TODAY)
Maxim’s godmother, Gretta Bogdan, was in attendance to watch him at the United States Figure Skating Championships where he also received his Olympic jacket.
She said: “Probably one of the best moments of my life. I know that his parents are watching down on him, and they’re incredibly proud of him, and they know what’s happening. They do.”
In a previous interview with Today, just two months after the plane crash that killed his parents, Maxim spoke of his determination to make them proud.
“They were beautiful people, they were so incredibly kind,” he said. “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. I would not be the person I am today without them.
“Their love and their care, and attention to detail was evident in each stage of my life. They were always like superheroes to me.”
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