‘God Is Good’: Figure Skater Secures Olympic Spot 1 Year After Parents’ Tragic Deaths

Published: January 15, 2026

By Mallory Mattingly

United States figure skater Maxim Naumov gave credit to his late parents for his qualification for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, Naumov’s parents who were also former Olympians, died last January when an American Airlines plane collided with a Black Hawk helicopter in Washington DC. TODAY reported that 67 people died in the crash, 28 of them being members of the figure skating community.

When Naumov learned that he would be part of the U.S. Olympic figure skating team, he held up a photo of him and his parents.

“I was telling them that we did it, and we did it together,” Naumov told TODAY’s Hoda Kotb.

Even though his parents are no longer alive, he believes their influence brought him to where he is today.

“I would not be here without them in any capacity,” he emphasized.

PEOPLE reported that Naumov secured Team USA’s third available figure skating spot.

“We did it! God is good,” the athlete said after he was given his Team USA jacket.

Last March, Naumov reflected on his parents and how he was navigating grief after the tragedy.

“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.”

He also took a moment to thank people for reaching out to him amid the biggest trial he had ever faced.

“I am truly at a loss for words to express the depth of my gratitude and love for each and every one of you. Every embrace, message, call, and prayer has touched me in ways I can’t fully describe, and I am beyond grateful for your kindness and support,” he wrote on Instagram last March.

“Your love has filled my heart so profoundly that it brings tears to my eyes. The generosity and compassion you have shown have given me the strength to keep moving forward, one day at a time,” he continued. “This means more to me than I could ever put into words. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for standing by me during the most difficult time of my life.