Lindsey Vonn announced on Monday night that she has returned to the U.S. after suffering a tibia fracture over a week ago during the Winter Olympics.
“I haven’t been able to stand on my feet for over a week…I’ve been stuck in a hospital bed since the race. I can’t stand up yet, but it feels great to be back on home soil,” the 41-year-old Olympic champion shared on X.
She expressed gratitude to the Italian medical staff who cared for her during her hospital stay.
Earlier in the Olympics, Vonn had already sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament following an incident on February 8th.
She has undergone four surgeries, with the latest taking place on Saturday, and is expected to need more in the future.
Karin Kildow, Vonn’s sister, told TMZ Sports that ski jumpers tend to focus on the immediate challenges.
“She’s so strong; she’s getting through it…one day at a time,” she remarked.
During an interview, Kildow didn’t mention when Vonn would return to the U.S.
Orthopedic knee specialist Dr. Bertrand Sonnery Cotto indicated that it might be months before Vonn can walk normally again.
Vonn recently shared a video on her Instagram Stories showing herself in the hospital, expressing gratitude for the support she received.
She also shared a heartfelt post from tennis star Novak Djokovic, who called her an inspiration and a hero.
Last week, Vonn kept her followers updated on the surgery process. The crash occurred just moments into her run when she got stuck in the gate.
She was thrown airborne and fell from the Dolomites mountains before being airlifted to safety.
Her father, Alan Kildow, told the Associated Press that this injury could be the end of Vonn’s competitive career.
“She’s 41 years old, and this is the end of her career,” he remarked at that moment.
“As long as I have anything to say about it, there’s no more Lindsey Vonn ski racing.”
Vonn, who clinched gold in the women’s downhill at the 2010 Vancouver Games, retired from competitive skiing in February 2019 due to a significant knee injury. She made a return to the slopes in 2024, following a right knee replacement surgery that same year.
