Lindsey Vonn Steps Outside for the First Time in Over a Month
Skier Lindsey Vonn has achieved another significant milestone in her recovery from the serious leg injury she sustained at the 2026 Olympic Games.
“Look out world! Here we come 🛴 💃🏼🐶 This was my first time outside in over a month,” she shared via Instagram on Thursday, March 19, with a video of her walking her dog, Chance, using an electric scooter for assistance.
Vonn, now 41, welcomed the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in August 2025 while still grieving the loss of her previous dog, Lucy. Tragically, her other dog Leo passed away on the same day she crashed during the Olympics, necessitating her airlift to a nearby hospital.
“These past few days have been unimaginably tough—perhaps the hardest of my life,” Vonn expressed on Instagram on February 18, ten days after her crash. “I’m still struggling to accept that he is gone… The day I crashed, Leo did as well. He had recently been diagnosed with lung cancer (after surviving lymphoma 18 months ago), but his heart was giving out. He was in pain, and his body could no longer keep pace with his indomitable spirit.”
She added, “As I lay in my hospital bed the day after my crash, we had to say goodbye to my big boy. In such a short time, I lost so much that was dear to me. It’s hard to believe. My boy had been by my side since my second ACL injury, during a time I needed him the most. He comforted me on the sofa as I watched the Sochi Olympics. He uplifted my spirits when I was down, lying beside me and providing the love and safety I craved. We endured so much together over 13 years.”
Just five days after making Leo’s death public, Vonn disclosed that her injuries were more severe than initially revealed. Alongside the torn ACL from before the Olympics, the crash resulted in a complex tibial fracture, a fractured fibular head, a fractured tibial plateau, and a broken ankle. She also experienced compartment syndrome, which nearly resulted in the amputation of her leg.
As she continues her recovery, Vonn has indicated that she is not yet ready to discuss if or when she might return to skiing.
“My priority has been on healing from my injury and returning to a normal life,” she posted on X on Sunday, March 15. “I was already retired for six years and enjoy a wonderful life outside of skiing. Being ranked #1 in the world again at 41 and breaking records in my sport was remarkable, but at my age, I am the only one who will determine my future. I don’t require anyone’s approval to pursue what makes me happy. Whether that involves racing again or doesn’t—only time will tell. Please refrain from telling me what I should or shouldn’t do. I’ll inform you when I make a decision.”
