NEED TO KNOW
-
Lindsey Vonn revealed in an Instagram post on February 14 that she completed her fourth surgery after suffering a complex tibia fracture during her February 8 accident at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
-
She shared that she might return to the US after surgery and asked fans not to feel “sad” for her.
-
Vonn was competing in a downhill event at the Olympics when she grabbed one of the beacons and crashed.
Lindsey Vonn shares a message of hope following her fourth surgery a week after her accident at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The 41-year-old skier revealed in an Instagram update on Saturday, February 14, that she completed another surgery after suffering a complex tibia fracture during the February 8 accident in the women’s downhill event and was given the green light to ride again.
Advertisement
“Surgery went well today! Hopefully I’ll finally be able to return to the US 🇺🇸! Once I get back I’ll give you more updates and information on my injury…” she wrote alongside a video of her skiing downhill.
In the clip, set to the soundtrack of “The Fall” by Cody Johnson, Vonn could be seen skiing fast amid a beautiful snowy mountain landscape. “This was my last race before my Olympic career. A classic Cortina day❤️I’m grateful to have this memory,” he wrote in the comments section.
Lindsay vonn/instagram
The song’s lyrics echoed the sentiment of the post-surgery update of its title as he reflected on the hand he had been dealt and pleaded with fans not to feel sorry for what happened to him.
Advertisement
“I’ve been reading a lot of messages and comments saying that what happened to me makes you sad. Please don’t be sad,” Vonn said. “I welcome empathy, love and support with an open heart, but please not sadness or sympathy. I hope it gives you strength to continue fighting, because that is what I am doing and that is what I will continue to do. Always.”
He went on to say that he did not “stand at the exit door without being aware of the possible consequences” and “knew” what he was doing. He said he “chose to take a risk,” as did all the other skiers in the race, but in the end “the mountain always holds the cards.”
“I was willing to take risks, work hard and sacrifice for something I knew I was absolutely capable of doing,” she explained. “I’ll always run the risk of crashing while giving it my all, rather than not skiing to my full potential and regretting it. I never want to cross the finish line and say, ‘What if?’ ”
She continued: “And to be completely honest, I was physically stronger at that moment than I had been in the past… (and) mentally I was perfect. Clear, focused, hungry, aggressive but completely calm… just like I had practiced in the last few months when I was on the podium in every downhill this season… But just because I was ready, that didn’t guarantee me anything.”
Advertisement
“Nothing in life is guaranteed. That’s the gamble of chasing your dreams, you can fall but if you don’t try you’ll never know. So please don’t feel sad. The journey was worth the fall,” he added, quoting Johnson’s song.
Lindsay vonn/instagram
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The athlete, who is recovering at the Ca Foncello hospital in Trevizo, Italy, concluded her post by saying that she has no regrets and that her love for skiing “remains.” She also hinted that this wouldn’t be the last time people would see her “on top of the mountain once again” and that she was “looking forward” to that moment.
Advertisement
Vonn was competing in the women’s downhill final when, 13 seconds into her race, she became trapped on one of the markers and flipped several times in the air before landing in the snow. About 15 minutes later, the skier was airlifted from the runway.
In a Feb. 9 post on Instagram, Vonn revealed that she was just inches away during her run, which caused the fall. He said it was unrelated to his recent ACL injury, which he suffered just a week before the Olympics, and that his latest injury would require multiple surgeries to properly repair.
His return to the Olympics this year marked his first since 2018 and his fifth overall. Her first gold medal came in 2010 in the downhill competition at the Vancouver Games, where she also won bronze in Super-G. Her most recent Olympic medal came in PyeongChang in 2018 with her third-place finish in the downhill race.
For more information on all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, visit people.com for ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. Watch the Milan Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Games, starting February 6, on NBC and Peacock.
Advertisement
Read the original article on People