Vonn: “My Body Was In Pain” After Brutal Crash

Lindsey Vonn Opens Up on Gruesome Injury

Alpine skiing legend Lindsey Vonn is opening up about the intense pain and long recovery after her devastating Olympic crash. The skiing superstar described the injury as incredibly painful, unlike anything she had experienced before in her career. “I had 12 hours of like I was screaming at the top of my lungs,” Vonn shared, recalling the immediate aftermath of the accident. She explained that the crash led to multiple surgeries and a lengthy hospital stay, which significantly impacted her physically. “Literally everything. I was in the best shape of my life. And I went from being, you know, pretty muscular to having no muscles at all,” she said, highlighting the massive muscle loss.

The Pain Was Unimaginable

Vonn detailed the extreme level of pain following the crash, stating it was far beyond typical skiing injuries. “It was so much harder on so many different levels,” she explained. For 12 hours straight, Vonn was in agony, a stark contrast to the pain from other injuries like ACL or MCL tears. “I hope I never experience that again. I hope no one experiences that,” she added, emphasizing the severity of her condition.

A Near-Fatal Complication

The situation became even more critical when Vonn realized she was at risk of developing compartment syndrome, a condition where swelling cuts off blood flow. “The first thing I thought of was don’t get compartment syndrome,” she admitted. This fear was realized after her first surgery, leading to an urgent situation where doctors had to act quickly to save her leg. “Tom was there and he was like, ‘Don’t worry. I’m going to scrub in. I’m going to save your leg,'” Vonn recalled. The realization that her leg might need to be amputated was a terrifying moment for the athlete.

Misunderstood Crash and a Comeback Spirit

Despite the severity of the injury, Vonn feels the crash itself was misunderstood by many. “Everyone had their opinion on on the crash and it was because of my ACL and it was because I was old,” she said, pushing back against public speculation. Vonn clarified that the crash was not related to her ACL injury and was the result of a small, unforeseen error on the course. “I made a small error and and that’s those that’s the price I paid. But I would do it again if I had a chance,” she stated.

She also reflected on her comeback season, which included a significant win early on. Vonn felt this victory proved her capabilities despite her age and previous injuries. “I think I showed everyone what I was capable of,” she noted. However, she acknowledged that her career was often dictated by her body’s ability to hold up. “It’s a matter of is my body going to hold up so that I can win,” Vonn said, expressing a wish to have been able to compete more.

“I was fully in control until I hit that panel… I was in such a good mental state. I was physically in a great place. I felt strong.”

Looking Beyond the Crash

Vonn is not focused on rewriting the ending of her career, but rather on moving forward. “I don’t necessarily want to rewrite it. I mean, it is what it is. It happened and and I can’t change that,” she explained. Instead, she is channeling her energy into new projects and passions. “I know that I have a lot left in my life. you know, there’s so much more to be written,” Vonn said, expressing optimism for her future beyond skiing.

A Difficult Goodbye

The athlete admitted that the way her career ended was difficult, especially not getting a proper farewell. “I never got a chance to say goodbye to my teammates, to my other, you know, friends who are my competitors on the World Cup, the coaches,” she shared. This lack of closure felt worse than her previous retirement. While Vonn hasn’t ruled out returning to the starting gate entirely, she stated the chances are low, and her immediate focus is on recovery and future endeavors. She is currently in Los Angeles as a partner with Invivid, focusing on a national education campaign about antibodies and their role in the immune system.

No Regrets on Her Comeback

Despite the painful recovery and the circumstances of her final competition, Vonn has no regrets about her comeback. “As hard as it is for me right now and there have been some very very low moments, I don’t regret it because I had such an amazing time,” she stated. She described feeling overwhelmed with happiness just to be back at the starting gate, viewing her return as a second chance. “I felt like no matter what happened, it was icing on the cake,” Vonn concluded, emphasizing that even without a perfect finish, her career has been incredibly rewarding.

Source: Lindsey Vonn reflects on life after her Olympic crash | ESPN (YouTube)