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By Matthew Couden

Contributing Writer

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Lindsey Vonn is facing her challenging recovery following her crash and the brutal injury she suffered at last month's Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, Italy.

The United States alpine skier crashed early during her attempt to compete in a medal event. That occurred just nine days after she suffered a complete rupture of her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during a World Cup downhill crash in Switzerland.

After being airlifted off the slope in Italy and receiving medical evaluation, it was later confirmed that Vonn had suffered a severe, complex fracture of her left tibia. After undergoing necessary surgery on her leg, she recently shared a significant update with fans about her struggles and focus.

More news: Lindsey Vonn Sends 7-Word Message Amid Surgery Recovery After Olympics

Lindsey Vonn after women's downhill race at the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup 2025-2026

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Taking to her various social media pages on Sunday, Vonn shared the emotional update, which included a reference to "hard realities" she is facing. One that she revealed in her message involved recently losing her beloved dog, Leo, who died while she was away from home.

"Home sweet home. Feels good to sleep in my own bed… but wheeling through the front door without Leo greeting me like always was a very hard reality. A reality I had to face. Along with many other hard realities that lay in front of me as I move forward….," she wrote in part of her message.

Vonn said that she is "focused now on therapy and getting healthy," and while it will be a "hard and painful journey" for her, she plans to give it her all. Along with that, she seemed to indicate she would take a break from social media updates.

"I'm going to take some time for myself. I’ll give you updates when I can but right now my focus is on taking care of myself," she wrote, concluding with, "As always, thank you for the love and support."

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The 41-year-old Olympic medalist has won a gold medal and two bronze medals while competing at the Winter Olympics. During the recent event in Italy, Mikaela Shiffrin surpassed her medal count as she won her third gold medal in alpine skiing, becoming the USA's most decorated women's competitor in the sport.

Vonn retired in 2019, then unretired in late 2024 to join the United States ski team for her return to the Winter Olympics. Unfortunately, her bold attempt to compete so soon after such a challenging injury ended in heartbreak.

It's unclear what is next for Vonn, but based on her string of updates about her situation, she plans to focus fully on her recovery and spend less time on her social media presence.

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For more about the Olympics, head over to Newsweek Sports.

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