Lindsey Vonn reveals details of her horrific crash at Winter Olympics
Lindsey Vonn has revealed the full horror of her crash at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, describing how medical teams fought to prevent amputation of her leg following a devastating compound fracture, reports BritPanorama.
The 41-year-old American skiing legend struck a gate just 13.4 seconds into her downhill run last month, resulting in an immediate helicopter evacuation from the course.
Team USA physician Dr Tom Hackett was compelled to perform an emergency fasciotomy procedure at the scene to address the complex injury. “My leg was broken and I couldn’t get my skis off. I couldn’t move and I was screaming for help,” Vonn told Vanity Fair.
The skiing icon underwent five operations within a 10-day span, which included a nearly six-hour reconstructive surgery that required extensive hardware, including multiple plates and screws. Vonn described the agony as “out of control,” with powerful painkillers proving ineffective against the intensity.
Significant blood loss during the procedures necessitated a transfusion, which ultimately aided in stabilising her condition. Despite the severity of her injuries, Vonn has not ruled out a return to competitive skiing.
“I don’t like to close the door on anything, because you just never know what’s going to happen,” she stated. “It’s hard to tell with this injury. It’s so f**ked up.”
Vonn expressed frustration at how her skiing journey ended, lamenting, “I really feel like that was a horrible last run to end my career on. I only made it 13 seconds. But they were a really good 13 seconds.”
Looking to the future, she acknowledged a complete uncertainty regarding her path, saying, “I have no idea what my life will be like in two years or three years or four years. I could have two kids by then. I could have no kids and want to race again.”
Her recovery involves an exhausting daily regime, with Vonn dedicating roughly two hours to physical therapy and another two hours in a hyperbaric chamber before standard training begins. Just 25 days post-accident, she had returned to the gym with her injured leg strapped.
The Olympic gold medallist from 2010, who also boasts two World Championship titles and 84 World Cup victories, addressed concerns about her sporting legacy. “I don’t want people to hang on this crash and be remembered for that,” she remarked. “What I did before the Olympics has never been done before. I was number one in the standings. No one remembers that I was winning.”
As the echoes of her career hang in the air, Vonn’s journey speaks volumes about resilience in sport and the thin line between triumph and disaster that every athlete walks.
