Mikaela Shiffrin posted an emotional message of support to her fiancé, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, after he suffered another major setback—an Achilles tendon tear in a training crash in Chile.
On October 19, 2026, the American alpine skiing star shared a photo of the couple in a hospital room. In the image, Shiffrin leans against Kilde, who is wearing a hospital gown; both are smiling. Her caption read:
“It’s the kind of blow that would take your soul down too… except it’s you. And you, my King, have the strongest soul I’ve ever known @AleksanderKilde ❤️”
The post quickly drew supportive responses from fans, many highlighting the couple’s long history of navigating serious injuries together.
The Injury
Kilde, 34, ruptured his Achilles during downhill training in Chile around October 14. The Norwegian Ski Association confirmed the injury, noting he was traveling to Innsbruck, Austria, for further medical evaluation. No recovery timeline has been announced, but an Achilles rupture typically requires months of rehabilitation and can sideline an athlete for a significant portion of a season—or longer.
The timing was especially cruel. After a nearly two-year recovery from a severe January 2024 crash in Wengen (which caused a major leg laceration, nerve damage, and shoulder ligament tears, plus later complications), Kilde had returned to World Cup racing last season. He competed in several events with a best result of 11th before missing the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics. He had recently said he was feeling better and faster on skis than he had in a long time—and enjoying skiing again.
In an Instagram statement, Kilde wrote that he was “gutted, angry, and frustrated,” calling the latest injury “brutal” and hard to accept. He emphasized that he has a clear rehab roadmap this time and will focus on what he can control.
A Power Couple Tested by Setbacks
Shiffrin and Kilde became a couple in 2021 and got engaged in 2024. They have repeatedly supported each other through high-profile injuries and recoveries. Shiffrin herself has spoken openly about the mental and physical challenges of her own serious 2024 crash in Killington, as well as the grief following her father’s death in 2020. She went on to win Olympic slalom gold at the 2026 Games, adding to her status as the most decorated alpine skier in history.
Her message to Kilde frames the latest blow not as something that could break him, but as further proof of his resilience. Fans and fellow athletes responded with messages of encouragement, noting how the pair has turned repeated adversity into motivation.
As the 2026-27 World Cup season opens later this month in Sölden, Kilde’s season is over before it began. Shiffrin’s post makes clear she will be by his side for the recovery ahead.
