A thumbs up from the hospital
Lindsey Vonn continues to teach mental strength lessons. The American skier has just undergone surgery for the third time after the complex tibia fracture she suffered at the Milan-Cortina Games.
From her hospital bed, with a metal frame on her leg, she shared a message that shows why she is a reference. Success today has a completely different meaning, he wrote on Instagram.
“I’m moving forward and even though it’s slow, I know I’ll be okay”
That phrase sums up an entire philosophy. Vonn knows what she’s talking about – she’s been dancing with injuries for years. Nine days before the Olympic accident, he had already torn the anterior cruciate ligament in that same left knee.
The fall that paralyzed Cortina
On the Sunday of the competition, just 13 seconds before starting their descent, everything was cut short. The evacuation was by helicopter. Her father, Alan Kildow, confirmed to AP that the family is not separated from her “at all times” at the Treviso hospital.
The incredible thing is the context: Vonn came to these Games as the great inspiring story. Retired for almost six years, she had returned in December 2024 after surgery to place a partial titanium replacement in her right knee.
And she was sweeping: she was the best sprinter of the season, with two victories and podiums in seven of eight races. The other was a fourth place.
Now, as she recovers, her mind is with her teammates:
“Huge congratulations to my teammates and all the athletes on Team USA who are out there inspiring me”
That’s Lindsey Vonn. With a broken body but an intact spirit, encouraging those who continue to compete. The queen of Cortina – she has 12 World Cup victories here – shows that champions are not measured only by medals.
They are measured by how they stand up.
