CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Lindsey Vonn is set to undergo another surgery on her injured left leg this Saturday at the Italian hospital where she is currently being treated, stating, “and then I may be able to leave and return home.”
On Friday, Vonn shared a video update on Instagram following her severe crash during the Olympic downhill race at the Milan Cortina Games.
“Hi everyone, I wanted to provide a quick update and express my heartfelt thanks to all who have sent me flowers and letters,” Vonn shared, mentioning the stuffed animals she has received, including a shark pillow that she was using to support her head in the footage. “It’s truly been wonderful and has really helped me tremendously.”
“These past few days in the hospital have been quite challenging. I’m finally starting to feel more like myself. yet, I have a long road ahead. Tomorrow I will undergo another surgery, and if all goes well, I may be able to leave and go back home, at which time I will need additional surgery. The details are still unclear until I receive better imaging, but that’s where things stand right now.”
Vonn is currently receiving care at a hospital in Treviso.
“And yes, that’s a bruise under my eye,” Vonn noted in the caption of her post. “Almost healed though!”
Vonn crashed just 13 seconds into her run during Sunday’s race and was airlifted from the course. The 41-year-old American ski star mentioned late Monday that she had endured a “complex tibia fracture that is currently stable but will necessitate multiple surgeries for proper repair.”
She indicated on Wednesday that her third surgery had been “successful.”
Only nine days prior to Sunday’s crash, Vonn had ruptured the ACL in her left knee during another incident. Leading up to the Olympics, attention had been focused on her inspiring comeback after nearly six years of retirement.
In her latest update, Vonn expressed that she is “quite immobile, but I am grateful for the many friends and family members who have come to visit.”
“I feel incredibly lucky and blessed to have so many supportive people around me who have really helped me through this. I just wanted to say thank you and go Team USA,” Vonn conveyed. “It has been wonderful to watch, and it truly lifted my spirits. Great job, team, and keep pushing forward. I’ll check in with you all when I can.”
