Lindsey Vonn is channeling her inner Rocky Balboa, declaring “I just keep getting up,” a sentiment she shared via Instagram. However, getting up is proving particularly challenging for the 41-year-old skier.
“Everything Was Basically Shattered”
Rocky Balboa, for context, is the fictional Italian-American boxer portrayed by Sylvester Stallone, an underdog who rose to legendary status. The original film debuted in 1976, becoming a box office hit and winning three Academy Awards. In 2023, nearly half a century later, the ninth and latest installment in the series, Creed III, was released.
Lindsey Vonn has never lost faith in herself, overcoming obstacles time and again. While her ski career didn’t quite last as long as Rocky’s cinematic journey, the highs and lows of her full-throttle career are remarkable. She secured four overall World Cup titles, two World Championship titles, and one Olympic gold medal.
Her crashes and injuries, however, were equally legendary. Vonn’s peak performance spanned a decade, from 2007 to 2016 – a significant achievement in the demanding world of professional skiing. She retired in 2019, claiming a final World Championship bronze medal. But she couldn’t quite walk away.
Her comeback in 2024, featuring a partial prosthetic in her right knee, was met with controversy and warnings. She silenced critics with renewed brilliance and victories. But another fall was inevitable. A torn ACL was the consequence. Despite this, she competed at the Olympics, suffering another severe crash. Even then, she maintains that the comeback was worth it.
At Least Two Months on Crutches
Vonn doesn’t shy away from detailing the extent of her injuries. She illustrates the damage to her shin with X-ray and MRI images. Twenty screws were required. In addition to the complex tibia fracture, she also suffered a fibula head fracture and damage to the tibial plateau. “Everything was basically shattered,” she says.
Due to compromised blood flow, muscles, nerves, and tendons were at risk of dying. Amputation was narrowly avoided.
Lindsey Vonn is currently reliant on a wheelchair. Once she can walk again, she faces “at least two months” on crutches. “It will take about a year for all the bones to heal,” she announced.
Contrary to the narrative surrounding Rocky Balboa, he didn’t emerge from the film series unscathed. Broken ribs and severe hematomas accompanied his journey. In Rocky V, he is diagnosed with brain damage. In Creed I and II, he suffers from the long-term effects of his career, and doesn’t appear in Creed III at all.
Lindsey Vonn’s competitive career is definitively over. Whether she will ever ski again remains uncertain. “It’s a long road, but I will get there.”
Vonn was cleared to return to the United States after undergoing her fourth surgery since , following a brutal crash during her opening downhill race at the Winter Olympics in Italy. She announced on Saturday that the latest surgery was successful. She had previously disclosed on Wednesday that she had already undergone three surgeries since the injury. She plans to provide further updates on her injury once she returns to the U.S.
The Olympic veteran reflected on her crash, stating, “I don’t have regrets.” “The ride was worth the fall. When I close my eyes at night I don’t have regrets and the love I have for skiing remains,” Vonn said. “I am still looking forward to the moment when I can stand on the top of the mountain once more. And I will.”
Vonn crashed just seconds into the first run of her Olympic downhill race, competing despite rupturing her left ACL during a World Cup race in the Swiss Alps last month. She stated she was willing to risk everything to achieve her potential, preferring to crash while giving her all rather than skiing below her capabilities and harboring regret.
The three-time Olympic medalist had come out of retirement to compete in the Milan Cortina Games. After tearing her ACL, she expressed confidence in her ability to race with the help of a knee brace. Vonn urged people to offer empathy, love, and support, but asked them to refrain from sadness or sympathy.
