In a raw and emotional Instagram post shared Tuesday, February 17, 2026, skiing icon Lindsey Vonn announced her long-awaited return to U.S. soil following a devastating crash at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics—capturing the hearts of fans worldwide with her unfiltered honesty amid unimaginable pain.
The 41-year-old three-time Olympic medalist captioned a video documenting her medical journey: “My leg is still in pieces…but I’m finally HOME! Intensive care unit ➡️ambulance➡️plane➡️ambulance ➡️🇺🇸hospital.” The clip shows Vonn being transferred on a stretcher from an Italian hospital in Treviso, loaded onto a private jet, and arriving at a U.S. facility—all while confined to bed due to the severity of her injuries.
Vonn suffered a complex tibial fracture in her left leg just 13 seconds into her Olympic downhill run on February 8, after hooking a gate with her right arm and tumbling violently down the course. The injury, described by medical experts as involving multiple bone fragments and significant soft tissue damage, required four urgent surgeries in Italy to stabilize the leg and prevent complications like swelling or impaired blood flow.
Despite the grueling week in hospital—including an external fixation device (which Vonn calls the “X-fix”)—she expressed deep gratitude: “Thankful to all of the medical staff who helped me get home 🙏🏻❤️ and seriously looking forward to my next surgery when I can get the X-fix out of my leg and will be able to move more.”
This marks Vonn’s second major knee/leg setback in under two weeks; she had fully ruptured her left ACL just days before the Games but pushed through intense rehab to compete in her fifth Olympics. Now immobile for over a week and unable to stand or bear weight, Vonn admitted the full extent is still sinking in: “My injury was a lot more severe than just a broken leg. I’m still wrapping my head around it, what it means and the road ahead… but I’m going to give you more detail in the coming days.”
Fans flooded her post with support, prayers, and admiration for her resilience. As Vonn begins the next chapter of recovery stateside—with at least one more procedure ahead—her fighter spirit continues to inspire, proving once again why she’s one of alpine skiing’s all-time greats.
