Lindsey Vonn’s sister has shared an update on the athlete’s “rough” recovery following her terrifying Olympic accident.
The Alpine ski racer's dream was shattered when she lost control just 13 seconds into her downhill run at the Milan Cortina Games and had to be airlifted to a hospital on February 8.
“I was simply 5 inches too tight on my line when my right arm hooked inside of the gate, twisting me and resulting in my crash,” Lindsey explained in an Instagram post.
Highlights
- Lindsey Vonn crashed 13 seconds into her downhill run at the Milan Cortina Olympics and underwent four surgeries for a complex leg fracture.
- The Olympian decided to compete just days after an accident that resulted in a torn ACL.
- Lindsey Vonn does not regret competing at the Games, stressing that ski racing “was and always will be an incredibly dangerous sport.”
Lindsey Vonn's sister has shared an update on the Olympic skier following her February 8 accident
Image credits: lindseyvonn
As a result of the accident, the skier broke her leg and has since undergone four surgeries to repair a complex tibia fracture.
The 41-year-old Olympian had suffered a serious ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury in January but stressed that the incident did not affect her performance in the women's downhill race.
She has also made it clear that she has “no regrets” about participating in the Winter Olympics and acknowledged that Alpine skiing is “an incredibly dangerous sport.”
Image credits: TNT Sports
Lindsey’s older sister, Karin Kildow, has now told TMZ Sports that the Olympic medalist is taking her recovery “one day at a time.”
“It’s been a rough one, been in the hospital a lot,” she said on Sunday (February 15) after Lindsey’s fourth surgery.
“She’s super strong, but there’s a lot of surgeries and things. We’re working on getting her back to the US.”
Lindsey competed in her fifth Olympics just nine days after rupturing the ligaments in her left knee
Image credits: lindseyvonn
The following day, Lindsey confirmed she had returned to her home country and thanked the medical staff in Italy for their treatment.
“'[I] haven’t stood on my feet in over a week… been in a hospital bed immobile since my race,” she wrote on X.
“And although I’m not yet able to stand, being back on home soil feels amazing... huge thank you to everyone in Italy for taking good care of me.”
Image credits: kar_inthegarage
Lindsey also shared a video taken by Karin that showed her doing physical therapy at the hospital, having her hair washed, and being fed dinner.
“Thankful for friends, family, my team and all the medical staff that are getting me back to myself….I’m slowly coming back to life, back to basics and the simple things in life that mean the most,” she captioned the post.
The athlete will reportedly undergo at least one more surgery in the United States.
The Olympian's sister, Karin, said she's taking her recovery "one day at a time"
Image credits: kar_inthegarage
After her crash, many critics questioned her decision to compete in the Winter Games, citing a recent accident that resulted in a torn ACL, one of the key ligaments that help stabilize the knee joint.
Karin said the family is blocking out the noise and focusing on Lindsey’s recovery.
“You know what? Everyone’s gonna have their thing to say, I think … but she’s strong and she did it," she told TMZ.
A week after rupturing her ACL in a crash, Lindsey said in a press briefing that she was still planning to compete at the Milan Cortina Games, even though her chances of taking home a medal were diminished.
“I'm not letting this slip through my fingers. I'm gonna do it. End of story,” she stated.
The skier said her knee felt stable and strong, and that she had spent the previous week doing intense rehab, weightlifting, and plyometrics.
The gold medalist struck a gate 13 seconds into her downhill run in Cortina
Image credits: TNT Sports
On February 8, Lindsey clipped a gate seconds into her run, resulting in a spinning, airborne crash. She remained on the Cortina course for approximately 13 minutes before being loaded into a helicopter.
At the time, her sister said Lindsey “dared greatly and she put it all out there” and added, “It's really hard to see, but we just really hope she's okay.”
The four-time World Champion, who has battled multiple knee surgeries throughout her career, expressed hope that she will be back on the slopes one day, even if it’s not for a professional sporting event.
Image credits: kar_inthegarage
“Please, don’t feel sad. The ride was worth the fall. When I close my eyes at night I don’t have regrets and the love I have for skiing remains,” Lindsey stated.
“I am still looking forward to the moment when I can stand on the top of the mountain once more. And I will.”
She added, “Knowing I stood there having a chance to win was a victory in and of itself. I also knew that racing was a risk. It always was and always will be an incredibly dangerous sport.”
Lindsey, who has so far undergone four surgeries following the crash, expressed no regret about competing in the Olympics
Image credits: kar_inthegarage
The Minnesota native stressed that every skier takes risks and even the most skilled ones can face an accident because “the mountain always holds the cards.”
Lindsey referred to her Olympic dream—her fifth and final appearance at the competition—as a “gamble” and said, “You might fall, but if you don't try you'll never know.”
Sophie Goldschmidt, president and CEO of the US Ski and Snowboard Association, visited Lindsey at the hospital and said the skier is not in pain and is in “stable condition.”
Previously, Lindsey won three Olympic medals: gold in downhill and bronze in super-G in 2010, and bronze in downhill in 2018.
