In a raw and heartbreaking update from her ongoing recovery, Olympic skiing legend Lindsey Vonn revealed she “broke down” as the full weight of her devastating crash at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics finally crashed over her—compounded by the recent loss of her beloved dog Leo and the joy of reuniting with her other pup, Chance.
The 41-year-old superstar, who suffered a horrific high-speed crash just 13 seconds into the women’s downhill event on February 8 in Cortina d’Ampezzo, shared an emotional Instagram post and video showing her tearful homecoming with Chance. The furry friend eagerly licked her face and showered her with affection, providing a much-needed moment of comfort amid profound pain.
“Had a pretty hard day yesterday, everything just really hit me hard and I broke down,” Vonn captioned the heartfelt clip. “I know there will be a lot of days like this… the internal mental battle has just begun but moments like this help me so much. Just miss my boy Leo…”
Vonn’s ordeal has been nothing short of nightmarish. The crash—exacerbated by her competing with a recently ruptured ACL—resulted in a complex tibia fracture, additional breaks, and severe compartment syndrome that caused dangerous pressure buildup in her leg. In a separate update, she credited her surgeon, Dr. Tom Hackett, with saving her limb through a critical fasciotomy procedure that “filleted” open her leg to relieve pressure and prevent amputation. “He saved my leg from being amputated,” she said, describing the injury as “by far the most extreme, painful and challenging” of her storied career.
Compounding the physical agony was the heartbreaking news that her longtime companion dog Leo passed away on February 9—just one day after the crash—due to complications from lung cancer and heart failure. Vonn had to say goodbye from her hospital bed in Italy, calling it “probably the hardest days of my life” and noting she still hasn’t fully processed the double loss.
Now back home in the U.S. and out of the hospital after multiple surgeries (including a fourth recently), Vonn is confined to a wheelchair and facing a long road ahead—estimated at up to a year for bone healing—while confronting the “dark and unrelenting” mental battle she says has only just begun. Yet she remains defiant, drawing strength from supportive moments like Chance’s joyful welcome.
“The physical battle began the second I got hurt, but the mental battle started today,” she reflected in recent posts. “It hit me like a ton of bricks… but I will find a way back to the top of the mountain of life.”
Fans and fellow athletes have flooded her with messages of love and encouragement, praising her resilience. Vonn’s candid vulnerability has struck a chord, turning her recovery story into one of raw humanity amid elite athleticism.
As she navigates rehab and grief, Vonn’s words serve as a powerful reminder: even champions face unbreakable days—but love, in the form of a loyal dog or unwavering support, can help piece things back together.
Lindsey Vonn shares an emotional reunion with her dog Chance, tears and tail wags marking a tender moment in her recovery.
Vonn in the hospital post-crash, reflecting on the pain and the loss of her dog Leo during her toughest days.
The skiing icon waves from her recovery, embodying strength and vulnerability after nearly losing her leg in the 2026 Olympics crash.
