American Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn suffered a devastating crash at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, resulting in a complex tibia fracture that’s required multiple surgeries.
Vonn was finally transported back to the United States on Wednesday, where she was met with some more tragic news.
Vonn announced the death of her beloved dog, Leo, in a heartfelt social media post. The 41-year-old Olympian said these past few days are some of the most difficult days she’s ever endured.
“This has been an incredibly hard few days. Probably the hardest of my life. I still have not come to terms that he is gone… The day I crashed, so did Leo. He had been recently diagnosed with lung cancer (he survived lymphoma a year and a half ago) but now his heart was failing him. He was in pain and his body could no longer keep up with his strong mind,” Vonn wrote on Instagram.
Many people, including legendary women’s tennis icon Billie Jean King, flooded Vonn’s comment section with messages of support.
“So very sorry to read this. Pets are family. Thinking of you,” King wrote.
Vonn suffered a torn ACL just nine days before taking the slopes for her downhill event at Milano Cortina. The three-time Olympic medalist clipped a gate just a few seconds into her run, causing her to spin out of control into a brutal crash. She was airlifted off the mountain and transported to a nearby hospital where she underwent at least four different surgeries.
Vonn underwent another surgery upon her return to the United States.
“There will never be another Leo. He will always be my first love,” she wrote in her emotional post. “Heading in for more surgery today. Will be thinking of him when I close my eyes.
“I will love you forever my big boy.”
