Treviso, Italy — Olympic alpine ski legend Lindsey Vonn has released a personal update from her hospital room following a dramatic crash in the women’s downhill race at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina.
Vonn’s much-anticipated Olympic comeback ended abruptly on February 8th when she suffered a severe crash just 13 seconds into her downhill final. The iconic American ski racer, who had earlier in the season returned from a 5-year retirement, was airlifted from the course and transported to Ca’ Foncello Hospital in Treviso, Italy, after sustaining a complex tibia fracture. Since the accident, Vonn has undergone three surgeries to stabilize her injury, with additional procedures expected as part of her long-term recovery.
In a heartfelt video posted from her hospital bed this morning, Vonn described the past few days as “quite a hard few days” but emphasized she is beginning to feel more like herself and remains optimistic about her recovery journey:
Laying in her hospital bed Vonn expressed her gratitude for the overwhelming outpouring of support in the form of letters, flowers, and messages from fans, friends, family, and medical staff who have visited her during treatment. Vonn also shared insight into her medical outlook, noting that further imaging will inform her next steps, but that she expects to have more surgeries before she can return home. “I’ve got a long way to go, but I know I’ll be okay.”
Despite the injury and unexpected end to her Olympic bid, Vonn used her video to congratulate her Team USA teammates and express pride in their performances at the Games. She thanked the medical professionals caring for her and the global community of fans who have supported her throughout her remarkable career.
