Lindsey Vonn Shares Nervous Update Ahead of Next Surgery — Heartbroken Over Loss of Beloved Dog Leo

Lindsey Vonn Shares Nervous Update Ahead of Next Surgery — Heartbroken Over Loss of Beloved Dog Leo

 

After surviving a devastating crash at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, Lindsey Vonn is now facing one of the toughest chapters of her life — both physically and emotionally. The three-time Olympic medalist posted a raw, heartfelt update on social media Thursday, revealing she’s preparing for yet another surgery on her shattered left leg… while still grieving the sudden loss of her cherished dog, Leo.

“My leg is still in pieces… but I’m finally HOME!” Vonn wrote in an Instagram post earlier this week, describing the severity of her complex tibia fracture sustained during the women’s downhill final on Feb. 8. She’s already undergone four surgeries in Italy and is now back in the United States, where doctors are prepping her for a fifth procedure to remove the external fixator (“X-fix”) holding her leg together — a step she hopes will finally allow her to move again. “Seriously looking forward to my next surgery when I can get the X-fix out of my leg and will be able to move more,” she said, her voice tinged with cautious optimism.

But the road ahead isn’t just medical — it’s emotional. On the same day she crashed, Vonn learned that Leo, her 13-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who had been battling lung cancer, passed away. “The day I crashed, so did Leo,” she wrote. “He had been recently diagnosed with lung cancer… but now his heart was failing him. As I lay in my hospital bed the day after my crash, we said goodbye to my big boy.” She posted a photo of Leo beside her hospital bed, calling him “my first love” and “the best medicine in times like these”.

In her latest post, Vonn shared a nervous, almost trembling update: “Going in for surgery soon… lot on my mind but hoping this will be a big step forward 🙏🏻” she wrote, attaching a photo of Leo as her laptop wallpaper — a quiet reminder of what she’s carrying into the operating room. “I still have not come to terms that he is gone…” she added, expressing raw grief alongside clinical anticipation.

Vonn’s resilience remains undeniable. Despite being unable to stand for over a week and relying on ambulances, stretchers, and private jets just to get home, she’s already planning rehab milestones and hinting at a return to movement — however slow. “I’m slowly coming back to life,” she wrote last week, smiling through pain.

Her sister Karin Kildow and close friend Mariska Hargitay have been by her side, offering support as Vonn navigates both physical trauma and personal heartbreak. “Dogs are the best medicine in times like these,” she reflected — underscoring how Leo’s loss adds weight to every step forward.

As fans rally around her with messages of love and encouragement, Lindsey Vonn stands at a crossroads: surgery looming, grief fresh, but spirit unbroken. “This has been an incredibly hard few days. Probably the hardest of my life,” she admitted. Yet even now, she’s choosing to face it — one surgery, one breath, one memory at a time?