Lindsey Vonn has arrived back in the United States following a week of treatment in Italy for a complex tibia fracture sustained in the women's downhill at the 2026 Winter Olympics. The 41-year-old skier, who underwent four surgeries abroad, posted on social media that being on home soil feels amazing despite still being unable to stand. She plans to continue her recovery with additional procedures in the US.
Lindsey Vonn, the American alpine skiing star and St. Paul native, crashed 13 seconds into her downhill run on February 8, 2026, at the Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. The incident occurred after she had ruptured her left anterior cruciate ligament nine days earlier at a World Cup event in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. Despite the prior injury, Vonn completed training runs and chose to compete, later stating that her ACL and past injuries had nothing to do with the crash.
She cut a turn too tight, hooked a gate in midair, and fell, resulting in a complex tibia fracture in her left leg. Vonn was hospitalized in Italy, where she underwent four surgeries over the week. Her skis did not release during the fall, highlighting ongoing discussions in the sport about binding technology, though officials noted that a 'smart binding' system to automatically release skis is still years away from implementation.
On February 16, 2026, Vonn shared a social media post about friends and family helping her recover in Italy, writing, “Thankful for friends, family, my team and all the medical staff that are getting me back to myself. I’m slowly coming back to life, back to basics and the simple things in life that mean the most. Smile. Laugh. Love.” The next day, after her fourth surgery approved her travel, she posted from the US: “Haven’t stood on my feet in over a week…been immobile in a hospital bed since my race. And although I’m not yet able to stand, being back on home soil feels amazing. Huge thank you to everyone in Italy for taking care of me.”
Vonn described her injury as more severe than a simple broken leg and said she is still processing the road ahead, with another surgery expected in the US. Reflecting after her third surgery on February 14, she shared a video of her final training run, stating she has no regrets and looks forward to standing on top of the mountain again. “I dreamt. I tried. I jumped,” she wrote the day after the crash, emphasizing her fighting spirit over pity.
