Lindsey Vonn’s bid to defy age and become the oldest woman to win a medal at the Winter Olympics came to an unspectacular end when she crashed just 13 seconds into her first race at the Milan Cortina Games.
Vonn suffered a severe crash and had to be airlifted off the mountain to a nearby medical facility. Examinations later confirmed a complex fracture in her left tibia, which has since required multiple surgeries.
As if that wasn’t heartbreaking enough for the 41-year-old skier, the death of her dog, Leo, occurred on the same day, with the Olympic champion calling it the “hardest” time of her life.
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Vonn shared the unfortunate news of Leo’s passing in an Instagram post on Wednesday, posting a series of photos and videos of her pet along with a lengthy caption.
"The day I crashed, so did Leo," Vonn wrote. "He had been recently diagnosed with lung cancer (he survived lymphoma a year and a half ago) but now his heart was failing him. He was in pain and his body could no longer keep up with his strong mind.
"As I layed in my hospital bed the day after my crash, we said goodbye to my big boy. I had lost so much that meant something to me in such a short amount of time. I can’t believe it. My boy has been with me since my second ACL injury, when I needed him most."
Vonn has also lost her other two pet dogs, Lucy and Bear, but said Leo will always remain her first love.
"There will never be another Leo. He will always be my first love. Heading in for more surgery today. Will be thinking of him when I close my eyes. I will love you forever my big boy 🤍," she concluded.
Much of the sports world was moved by Vonn’s tearful goodbye to Leo, including two-time Grand Slam champion Coco Gauff.
"I ‘m so sorry for your loss ❤️," she commented under the post.
Vonn recently returned to the United States from Italy after undergoing multiple surgeries, but her recovery is far from complete. The three-time Olympic medalist shared on Wednesday that she was preparing for another surgery.
Despite all the heartbreak on and off the snow, the Alpine skiing icon continues to support Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics, recently congratulating Mikaela Shiffrin for becoming the oldest American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in Alpine skiing.