Lindsey Vonn suffered a frightening crash during the Olympic downhill event.
But the American star had a few unexpected — and heartbreaking — words after the accident, now revealed by her coach.
Lindsey Vonn’s comeback at the Winter Olympics was one of the most talked-about storylines heading into the Games. But just 13 seconds into her downhill run on Sunday, disaster struck.
The 41-year-old clipped a gate at high speed, lost control, and went down hard — screaming in pain as she slid across the course. She was airlifted by helicopter to a nearby hospital, where she underwent surgery for a broken leg.
Officials later confirmed that her condition is stable.
”She’ll be OK, but it’s going to be a bit of a process,” U.S. Alpine Director Anouk Patty told the Associated Press on Sunday afternoon. ”This sport’s brutal, and people need to remember when they’re watching, these athletes are throwing themselves down a mountain and going really, really fast.”
The crash has sparked intense debate. Some critics have questioned whether Vonn should have been allowed to compete at all, especially since she entered the race with a torn ACL.
Vonn herself has not yet spoken publicly. But her coach — Norwegian alpine legend Aksel Lund Svindal, who has worked with her since late 2025 — shared what she said in the moments after the crash.
”Lindsey. You’re incredibly brave. You inspire people that follow your journey and us that work closely with you every day. Yesterday was a tough day on the mountain. For everyone, but most of all for you. Still something happened that I think says everything. ”Tell Breezy congrats and good job”. Your teammate was in the lead, and that’s the message you wanted the US skiteam coaches to remember before you got airlifted to the hospital. Real character shows up in the hard moments.”
American skier Breezy Johnson went on to win gold in the downhill, finishing ahead of Germany’s Emma Aicher and Italy’s Sofia Goggia.
Johnson broke down in tears after capturing Olympic gold, adding it to the world title she claimed last year, with a blazing time of 1:36.10.
"Hon går omkull!" 🎙
— Sports on HBO Max 🇸🇪 (@sportshbomaxse) February 8, 2026
Mardröm för Lindsey Vonn! Den amerikanska storstjärnan kraschar ut i störtloppet.
📲 Streama hela OS i Milano Cortina 2026 på HBO Max och se det bästa på Eurosport 1. pic.twitter.com/g6dCL2AmxS
The 30-year-old had already finished her run in sixth place and was standing at the bottom of the course, watching the giant screen with her head in her hands, when her teammate Lindsey Vonn crashed.
Another American, Isabella Wright, witnessed the terrifying fall from the top of the slope before having to push through her own run. She admitted she had been hoping Vonn could somehow make it down the mountain despite the torn ACL she suffered just nine days earlier.
“If anyone can, Lindsey can. Whatever it is, or whatever the situation, she’s very strong. We’re going to support her the best we can,” Wright said.
“She deserved a better ending than that so I’m heartbroken for her. I hope to see her and just support her. I know she’s in good hands right now. [I’m] anxiously waiting to see her.”
Even in the toughest moment of her life, Lindsey Vonn was thinking of a teammate and competitor — a gesture that says everything about her character, just as her coach described. She’s not only a champion athlete but also a remarkable human being, someone who cares deeply about her fellow Americans and always wants the best for them.
In that moment, Vonn showed that true greatness isn’t just about medals, it’s about heart, courage, and sportsmanship.