Lindsey Vonn has provided an emotional update on her health following a severe skiing accident at the Winter Olympics on Sunday (February 8).
The Team USA athlete experienced a crash just 13 seconds into her downhill run, resulting in a complex fracture of the tibia. She was subsequently airlifted to the hospital.
This incident occurred shortly after Vonn had revealed she had ruptured her ACL, leading to several surgeries since the accident.
Recently, the 41-year-old athlete posted on Instagram to inform her followers about her current health status and the anticipated path to recovery.
In a heartfelt video, Vonn expressed her gratitude by saying, “Hey guys, just wanted to give a little update and say thank you so much to everyone that has been sending me flowers and letters and sharks, stuffed animals, it’s just been so amazing, and it’s really helped me a lot.
“It’s really been quite a hard few days in the hospital here. I’m finally feeling more like myself, but I have a long, long way to go.”
Vonn mentioned that another surgery is scheduled for Saturday (February 14) and expressed her hope of returning home to further her recovery soon after.
She acknowledged that additional surgeries might be necessary down the line.
Vonn elaborated: “So I don’t know exactly what that entails yet until I get some better imaging, but that’s kind of where I am right now.
“I’m just in the hospital, very much immobile. But I have a lot of friends and family that have been coming up to visit, and as I said, the letters and notes and everything, flowers, have just been so incredible.
“The staff and medical team here have been amazing, so I feel very lucky and fortunate to have so many people around me who have helped me get through this.
“So I just want to say thank you and go Team USA, it’s been so great to watch and has really lifted my spirit, so good job team and keep crushing it. I’ll check with you guys when I can.”
Following the accident, a doctor expressed concern about the severity of Vonn’s injury, noting the potential risk of amputation in severe cases.
Dr. Bertrand Sonnery-Cottet told RMC Sport: “The timeline is quite unpredictable. It will be months before she can walk normally again.
“Her goal now is first and foremost to keep her leg and be able to walk. I think we’re not yet at the stage of returning to high-level skiing. We’re not there yet, but some injuries like hers can end in amputation…”
The medical professional referred to Vonn’s online updates and indicated how her life might change moving forward.
“The latest images posted on her Instagram account show that, even though the surgeries were successful, the ‘external fixator’ – that is, the enormous pin they put in her left leg – proves that they haven’t been able to fully repair her fracture,” the doctor added.
“It’s only temporary for now. It’s important to understand that her injury is extremely serious and will cause her problems for at least months, and could even leave her with lifelong consequences.”