At the “Legacy on Ice” benefit in Washington, figure skater Maxim Naumov kneels on the ice, mourning the loss of his parents in a tragic helicopter crash that killed 67 people, including many young skaters. The sold-out event, attended by 15,000 spectators, featured performances from stars like Kristi Yamaguchi and Johnny Weir, who expressed their grief and support for the victims’ families. The fundraiser, organized by Ari Zakarian and supported by Monumental Sports owner Ted Leonsis, aims to assist the bereaved families, while skaters reminisce about their lost peers, emphasizing unity and healing through shared sorrow.
After finishing his figure skating routine, as the last notes of his parents’ favorite song echoed through the arena filled with spectators and heavy emotions, Maxim Naumov knelt in the center of the ice. He stayed there for what felt like an eternity, illuminated by a spotlight, appearing lost and tearful.
In rows and sections throughout Capital One Arena on Sunday in downtown Washington, approximately 15,000 attendees rose to their feet, applauding and sharing in his tears.
Naumov was among the skaters participating in the benefit event, Legacy on Ice, held in remembrance of the 67 lives lost on January 29 when an Army helicopter collided with a passenger plane over the Potomac River in Washington. Many of the deceased were young figure skaters traveling home with their parents and coaches after a development camp following the U.S. Figure Skating nationals in Wichita, Kan. Tragically, both of Naumov’s parents perished in the incident.
While it may have seemed like he was alone kneeling on the ice, he was anything but.
Numerous stars from the sport, spanning decades, stood with him. Olympic gold medalists Kristi Yamaguchi and Brian Boitano served as hosts. Other figures like Peggy Fleming, Nancy Kerrigan, Johnny Weir, and defending world champion Ilia Malinin were also present. Scott Hamilton, the 1984 Olympic champion, led the crowd in a prayer.
“I felt compelled to come and pray because I was overwhelmed with sadness,” Hamilton remarked in an interview. “Especially when it involves children, it’s difficult to find the strength to cope with such events in our world.”
Hamilton had encountered Naumov’s parents — Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov — at the nationals in January. He noted that skating is a tight-knit community. The 1994 pairs world champions were overjoyed to be there, Hamilton recalled.
Weir, a television analyst and coach of young skaters, performed for the first time since retiring in 2023, donning a black costume as he skated to “Memory” from the musical “Cats.”
He had personal connections to several coaches who perished in the crash. Seeing the faces of his students every day motivated him to lend his support.
“Thinking about how it could have been their mother or family on that plane is simply heartbreaking,” Weir conveyed in an interview following his performance. “I wouldn’t claim that this event provides closure, but it shows the kids I teach daily that even the greatest skaters can feel deeply affected and still show up for others. It’s permissible to grieve.”
He continued, “The moment of unity we experience is the most significant gift we can offer to those we lost.”
Ari Zakarian, Malinin’s agent, conceived the event. He had attended the nationals in Wichita and promptly flew to Estonia for the European Nationals shortly thereafter.
Upon learning about the crash through social media, he attempted to contact Inna Volyanskaya, a Washington-area coach who had also been in Wichita, and had promised to send him a selfie they took together before parting. Tragically, she never had the opportunity.
“It felt like a bucket of cold water was dumped on me because I just knew she was on that plane, along with two coaches I recognized from Boston,” he explained. “I started asking myself, ‘What can I do? I need to do something for these people.’”
He reached out to Ted Leonsis, the owner of Monumental Sports & Entertainment in Washington, which operates the arena, the Capitals, and the Wizards.
For Leonsis, the tragedy felt particularly personal, as several skaters who lost their lives had trained at the Capitals’ practice facility in Northern Virginia.
All proceeds from the sold-out event’s ticket sales will be directed to the families affected, the skating community, and the first responders in the Washington area, he announced.
“I aim to ensure that every family with children left without a parent, or both parents, will be supported,” he stated. “There are college and other financial needs. Thus, we must raise substantial funds.”
Every skater Zakarian invited to participate eagerly accepted. They wished to extend their support, mourn, and assist in the healing process.
Olympians Ashley Cain and Gracie Gold, who were coaches at the developmental camp, skated through their tears.
“Every time I step onto the ice, my thoughts are with them; I skate for them,” Cain reflected on her former students. “One of my final moments with them was watching them have fun and dance on the ice, revealing their true selves. I’ll never forget that.”
As he arrived in Washington for the event, Jason Brown, a two-time Olympian, considered the feelings of the skaters as their plane neared the airport in late January. They might have felt giddy after the camp, thrilled to return to training, and hopeful to reunite with their skating friends.
“Travel is such an integral part of our lives, so this news struck us deeply,” Brown shared. He recalled his grandfather saying that when people unite to celebrate accomplishments, those joys multiply, while sharing grief and loss divides that pain.
Backstage, nearly every skater was in tears, including young ones from local rinks who had been invited to perform because they were teammates, family, or friends of the victims.
Isabella Aparicio performed to a recording of her father playing Pachelbel’s Canon in D, burying her face in her hands after finishing. Her father, Luciano, and her 14-year-old brother, Franco, were among those on the ill-fated flight.
In the audience, groups donned pink to commemorate 12-year-old Brielle Beyer, who tragically lost her life in the collision. Her funeral is scheduled for Monday.
In recent weeks, numerous parents have escorted their children to funerals and memorials for their young peers. “That’s not something detailed in the parent handbook,” remarked one mother. Jenn Rafael’s 11-year-old son, Jesse, was close friends with Brielle, and she shared a bond with Brielle’s mother, Justyna.
“I find it helpful for them to skate and create videos in memory of their friends,” Rafael noted. “And therapy dogs. The therapy dogs have really helped us through this.”
On Sunday, teams of therapy dogs were stationed throughout the arena, including near the tunnel leading to the ice. Just before his performance, Naumov knelt to stroke the belly of a friendly blond Norwegian Buhund named Ghost in quiet contemplation.
Before he stepped out to perform to the Russian song “The City That Doesn’t Exist,” his teammate from the Skating Club of Boston, Jimmy Ma, shared a heartfelt hug with him.
“Let’s do this!” Ma encouraged as they parted, both wiping their tears.