American alpine skiing icon Lindsey Vonn has returned to the United States following a harrowing crash at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, where she suffered a complex tibia fracture in her left leg. The 41-year-old underwent multiple surgeries in an Italian hospital before being cleared to fly home, though she remains unable to stand more than a week after the incident.
Vonn’s dramatic fall occurred just 13 seconds into her women’s downhill run on February 8 at the Tofane course in Cortina d’Ampezzo. Hooking a gate at high speed, she spun violently and tumbled down the slope, prompting an immediate airlift to a hospital in Treviso. The injury compounded an already challenging comeback: Vonn had torn her ACL in her left knee during training in Switzerland only nine days earlier, yet chose to compete anyway in what became her fifth Olympic appearance.
US Ski and Snowboard CEO Sophie Goldschmidt confirmed the coordination of Vonn’s care, noting that the organization’s medical team supported her throughout and plans to assist with further procedures in the US. “She’s not in pain. She’s in a stable condition,” Goldschmidt said, describing the crash as a near-miss that highlighted the extreme risks of the sport. “She took an aggressive line and was all in… inches off what could have ended up a very different way.”
In heartfelt social media posts from her hospital bed, Vonn has repeatedly emphasized her lack of regrets. “The ride was worth the fall,” she wrote on Instagram, reflecting on the gamble of pursuing dreams at elite levels. “When I close my eyes at night I don’t have regrets and the love I have for skiing remains. I am still looking forward to the moment when I can stand on the top of the mountain once more. And I will.”
Vonn also addressed critics questioning her decision to race with a fresh ACL tear, with teammate Keely Cashman defending her: the crash stemmed from hooking her arm on a gate at around 70 mph, unrelated to her knee issues.
Despite the physical setbacks—including four surgeries in Italy and more planned stateside—Vonn’s resilience has inspired fans and the skiing community. She described feeling “more like myself” in recent updates and expressed deep gratitude to her medical team, family, friends, and supporters worldwide.
As Vonn begins the long road to recovery on home soil, her journey continues to underscore the extraordinary courage required in alpine sports. “Don’t feel sad,” she urged. “The ride was worth the fall.”
The skiing world watches eagerly for her next chapter, one defined not by the fall, but by the unbreakable will to rise again.
