Lindsey Vonn spotted in wheelchair after Milan Cortina crash as she shares mental health battle (Image via Getty)
Lindsey Vonn was seen in a wheelchair at Los Angeles airport this weekend, and it quickly caught attention. The 41-year-old ski legend is still recovering after a serious crash at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in February.
She had made a big comeback to compete, but her run ended just 13 seconds in when she suffered a broken leg. This came after she had already torn her ACL before the Games. Since then, she has gone through multiple surgeries and a long recovery process. While she has shown signs of progress, her latest appearance made it clear that she is still not fully back on her feet.At the airport, Vonn looked tired but calm. She wore simple black athleisure clothes and kept things low-key.
Her crutches rested on her lap as an airport staff member pushed her wheelchair. She also had a navy Louis Vuitton duffle bag placed on her lap while heading toward the gate. The moment showed both her strength and the reality of her recovery.
Lindsey Vonn opens up on mental health struggle after Milan Cortina Olympics crash and surgeries
Just days before this sighting, Lindsey Vonn spoke to People Magazine about what she has been going through mentally. She did not hide how hard it has been.“It’s definitely been up and down,” she said. “I’d say in the last month, it’s definitely gotten better, but of course there were really low moments.”
After her first surgery, things became even more serious. She developed compartment syndrome, a dangerous condition that can lead to limb loss if not treated quickly. Doctors had to act fast to save her leg. She then went through more surgeries in both Italy and the United States before finally returning home to Utah on March 1.Even after coming home, recovery was not easy. She shared how being alone in the hospital affected her deeply.“I hate being dependent on people, and was pretty much 100% dependent for everything,” she said. “It was quite a challenge, just being in the hospital alone for two and a half weeks. Being completely immobile for that extended time period was so rough.”During that time, her phone became her only connection to the outside world. But that came with its own problems. She ended up reading a lot of comments online, many of which were critical.“There were a million things that were being said online,” she said. “People were so convinced that they knew even though they don’t really have a concept of ski racing.”She admitted that reading those comments was hard. Still, she could not fully stay away.“Of course, I tried not to read it, but I also didn’t really have any other way of being connected to the outside world, because I was so isolated.”At times, she even responded to some of the criticism, especially about her decision to compete despite a torn ACL just days before the Olympics.“Sometimes I got frustrated and had a hard time staying away from battling trolls on Twitter,” she said. “But sometimes you just gotta stand up for yourself.”Despite everything, there are signs of progress. Earlier this month, Vonn shared that she was able to walk for the first time since the crash. She has also posted gym videos, showing that she is slowly building strength again. But her airport appearance is a reminder that recovery is still ongoing. It is not a straight path. There are good days and hard days, both physically and mentally.
