Lindsey Vonn Admits ‘It’s Been Really Hard’ Following Winter Olympics Crash That Almost Took Her Leg

Lindsey Vonn is finally back home in Colorado after suffering a serious injury at the 2026 Winter Olympics that almost cost her a leg.

The skier, 41, took to Instagram on Monday, February 23, where she spoke candidly about her injury, her recovery and the road ahead.

“It has been quite the journey and by far the most extreme and painful and challenging injury I’ve ever faced in my entire life times 100,” she began.

Vonn ran through all the injuries she suffered, including a complex tibia fracture, while competing in the women’s downhill run on the Olympia delle Tofane course in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, on February 8. However, in her latest video, she revealed just how serious her injuries were and thanked her doctor, Tom Hackett, declaring, “He saved my leg.”

“I always talk about everything happens for a reason, but if I hadn’t torn my ACL, which I would have torn anyway in this crash, if I hadn’t done that, Tom wouldn’t have been there and he wouldn’t have been able to save my leg,” she explained. “I feel very lucky and grateful for him and the six hour surgery he put in on Wednesday to rebuild it, which went amazingly well.”

Vonn revealed that she’s currently confined to a wheelchair and is “very much immobile.” She said the reason for the wheelchair is that, in addition to everything else, she broke her ankle. She says she hopes to be on crutches soon, but will even need those for a minimum of two months before she can consider next steps in her healing journey.

“I can’t tell you how painful it’s been,” she said while fighting back tears. “It’s been really hard and it’s definitely not the way I wanted to end my Olympics.”

Vonn concluded by saying, “Life is life and we have to take the punches as they come.”