Houston Skating Coach Remembers Childhood Friends Lost in DC Plane Crash

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One year after a deadly plane crash over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. claimed the lives of 64 people, including a group of figure skaters and coaches, a Houston figure skating coach is holding tightly to the memories of the childhood friends she grew up with on the ice. Elena Prudsky and her late friends Evgenia Shiskova and Vadim Naumov were a tight-knit trio who trained together in Russia as teenagers, chasing the same Olympic dreams. Even as their paths diverged, with Prudsky settling in Houston and Shiskova and Naumov building lives and coaching careers in the Northeast, their friendship endured. Tragically, Shiskova and Naumov were killed in the 2026 plane crash, leaving behind their young son Maxim, who recently earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic figure skating team, a bittersweet moment for those who knew his parents.

Why it matters

The plane crash that claimed the lives of Evgenia Shiskova and Vadim Naumov sent shockwaves through the tight-knit figure skating community, especially for those like Elena Prudsky who had grown up alongside the pair. Their story highlights the deep bonds that can form between athletes who share a lifelong passion, and the lasting impact their lives and legacies can have, even after tragedy.

The details

Elena Prudsky, a Houston figure skating coach, was childhood friends with Evgenia Shiskova and Vadim Naumov, a married pair skating duo who were killed in the 2026 plane crash over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. Prudsky, Shiskova, and Naumov trained together as teenagers in Russia, becoming close friends as they pursued their Olympic dreams. Even as their paths diverged, with Prudsky settling in Houston and Shiskova and Naumov building lives in the Northeast, their friendship endured. In the aftermath of the crash, Prudsky has held onto the memories of her dear friends, including photos of the trio together over the years. Shiskova and Naumov's young son, Maxim, has continued their legacy, recently earning a spot on the U.S. Olympic figure skating team, a bittersweet moment for those who knew his parents.

• One year ago, Evgenia Shiskova and Vadim Naumov were killed in the mid-air plane crash over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C.
• Last month, Maxim Naumov, the son of Shiskova and Naumov, clinched a bronze medal at the U.S. National Championships in St. Louis, earning a spot on the U.S. Olympic figure skating team.

What they’re saying

What’s next

Maxim Naumov will represent the United States in figure skating at the upcoming Olympic Games.