Alpine skiing legend Lindsey Vonn is taking “baby steps” in her recovery following a marathon fifth surgery to repair the devastating leg injury sustained during her heartbreaking crash at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
The 41-year-old icon, who returned to the United States earlier this week after initial treatments in Italy, underwent the more than six-hour procedure on Thursday — her first major operation back home. In a candid Instagram update shared Friday, Vonn revealed the extensive hardware now stabilizing her complex tibia fracture: “a lot of plates and screws” inserted by her trusted surgeon, Dr. Tom Hackett, with assistance from Dr. Viola.
“Made it through surgery… it took a bit more than 6 hours to complete,” Vonn posted, accompanied by X-ray images showcasing the intricate metalwork rebuilding her tibial plateau, a video of her being wheeled through the hospital, and photos highlighting the surgical hardware. “As you can see, it required a lot of plates and screws to put back together but Dr Hackett did an incredible job.”
The surgery removed an external fixator used initially in Italy and transitioned to permanent internal fixation to address the high-energy fracture suffered on February 8 during the women’s downhill race. Fresh off a ruptured ACL sustained just a week prior in training, Vonn had defied odds to compete — only for her run to end in a violent fall that necessitated airlift from the mountain and four preliminary surgeries abroad to stabilize her for safe transport home.
Vonn admitted the trauma’s severity has made post-op recovery challenging. “With the extent of the trauma, I’ve been struggling a bit post op and have not yet been able to be discharged from the hospital just yet… almost there. Baby steps,” she wrote. “Will explain the injury and what it all means soon.” On X, she added a resilient quip alongside one of the X-rays: “I’m bionic for real now.”
The emotional toll has been compounded by profound personal loss. Just one day after her Olympic crash, Vonn’s beloved 13-year-old dog Leo passed away from heart failure following a recent lung cancer diagnosis (after previously beating lymphoma). “Been some of the hardest days of my life and still have not begun to process his passing… I will always love you Leo,” she shared earlier.
Despite the setbacks — physical, emotional, and the unfulfilled dream of another Olympic medal — Vonn’s update radiates gratitude and grit. Her journey from comeback queen to “bionic” warrior continues to inspire, proving that even in the toughest recoveries, champions keep pushing forward one small step at a time.
Fans and the sports world continue to rally behind #TeamVonn as she begins the long road to mobility and, perhaps one day, the slopes again. Speedy healing wishes pour in from across the globe.
