Artem Chigvintsev Finds Comfort in Son Matteo Amid Personal Challenges

Artem Chigvintsev is getting some quality father-son time.

The former Dancing With the Stars pro—who split from wife Nikki Garcia in August—shared heartwarming videos on social media of himself picking up his mother from the airport, accompanied by his and Nikki’s 4-year-old son, Matteo.

“Why are we at the airport? We are picking up who?” Artem asked his son in a video shared on his Instagram Story Nov. 15, to which Matteo replied, “Grandma!”

The 42-year-old then shared a clip of the boy running up to his grandmother as she emerged with her luggage, presenting her with a bouquet of flowers as she enveloped him in a hug.

Artem previously shared the moment Matteo met his grandparents, Anna and Vladimir, for the first time in a 2023 episode of Nikki Bella Says I Do, after they were forced to miss Matteo’s birth due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the toddler was initially shy around his relatives, he quickly warmed up, re-emerging on camera in his grandfather's arms.

“It was a beautiful moment,” Artem said in a confessional interview. “Them meeting for the first time, it was definitely a moment that I’ll remember forever.”

The visit with his parents comes amid a challenging time for the ballroom dancer. He was arrested Aug. 29 in Napa, Calif., on domestic violence charges, but prosecutors ultimately chose to drop the charges against him. Less than two weeks later, Nikki filed for divorce after two years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences.

Later in September, the former WWE star was granted a temporary restraining order against her estranged husband, according to TMZ. The order prohibits Artem from contacting or coming within 100 yards of her, Matteo or their home apart from court-ordered visitations or exchange of the child, the outlet reported.

“Although Nikki requested that the Napa District Attorney not file charges against Artem as she did not want him to go to jail,” a rep for Nikki told E! News at the time, “he must still be held accountable for his actions, and Nikki and her son must be protected. Nikki’s number one priority has always been the wellbeing of her son.”

However, in a response filing obtained by E! News, Artem disputed his ex’s version of the events that led to the protective order, arguing that she was the aggressor in the incident that led to his arrest.

After his charges were dropped, Artem told E! News his son’s well-being remains his top priority.

“My focus has always been and will always be, our son Matteo,” he said in a statement Sept. 25. “He is my world, and being his father is the greatest blessing in my life. All along, my main concern has been for him.”

He continued, “I am committed to continuing to provide him with the love, support, and care he needs as we move forward.”