A little over two weeks ago, on February 8, Lindsey Vonn fell heavily in the women’s Olympic steeplechase in Cortina d’Ampezzo. The 41-year-old American screamed out her pain, lay on the hill and had to be taken to the hospital by helicopter. There it was discovered that she had broken her left leg and since then several operations have been carried out, both in Italy and in the USA.
On Monday, Vonn – who has suffered several serious injuries in her career – posted a video on Instagram after returning home from her latest hospital stay. In the video, she talks about details of the procedure and how she may have lost her leg.
– It was quite a journey. “Definitely the most extreme, painful and challenging injury I have suffered in my entire life,” she says.
Vonn – who took one Olympic gold (2010, downhill), two World Championship gold medals (2009, downhill and super-G) and 84 World Cup victories – thank you for the support she has received and the medical staff who have helped her in the last few weeks.
She particularly thanks her American surgeon Thomas Hackett, who saved her left leg from amputation, even after a six-hour operation on Wednesday.
– Doctor “Tom” Hackett saved my leg.
Vonn had already suffered an injury to his left leg before the Olympic Games after a fall in the World Cup downhill in Crans-Montana at the end of January. Despite a meniscus injury and a torn cruciate ligament in her knee, she still took part in the Olympics.
It is unclear whether She doesn’t reveal anything in the clip about whether Vonn is retiring or not.
– It will be a long journey. I’m currently sitting in a wheelchair and am pretty immobile. I’ll be in a wheelchair for a while because I also broke my right ankle. I hope to be on crutches soon, but we’ll see.
At the end of the clip, Vonn becomes emotional and starts crying.
– This is definitely not how I wanted to end the Olympics. But it was inspiring to see my teammates. Everyone was incredible. Seeing the US dominate was uplifting, she says, concluding with:
– I’m like “Rocky” (the fictional boxer), I always get up.
Read more:
Johan Esk: Lindsey Vonn is sports madness and Hollywood drama
