For U.S. figure skating, grief over the D.C. crash makes for a bittersweet Olympics

For U.S. figure skating, grief over the D.C. crash makes for a bittersweet Olympics

toggle caption Brian Munoz/St. Louis Public Radio

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At the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in January, almost exactly a year after he lost his parents — who were also his coaches — Max Naumov won a bronze medal and a spot on the Olympic team.

"Fulfilling the dream that we collectively had as a family since I first was on the ice at five years old … It means absolutely everything," Naumov, now 24, said from nationals in St. Louis. "And I know they're looking down, smiling, and proud."

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Last January, when Naumov placed fourth at nationals for the third year in a row, he joined his parents, Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, for a heart-to-heart in their hotel room in Wichita, Kan. to talk strategy. He remembers not being able to hug his mom. She was sick and did not want him to fall ill so close to his next competition.

"It was a very productive, emotional and just inspiring conversation," said Naumov. "My dad said that we have to change our mindset, we have to get more consistent in the areas that we talked about and just overall have a resilient attitude to the entire approach of the season."

That was one of the last times they spoke.

Naumov flew home to Massachusetts after the event ended.