American skier Lindsey Vonn graces the cover of the new issue of Vanity Fair USA, published on Thursday. The discipline star talks about the pain felt after her violent fall at the Milan Games, her recovery, and her future.
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/2026/03/26/69c53dd31d653247393744.jpg "I do not want to be remembered for this fall… Lindsey Vonn opens up for the first time")
Standing in her Utah home between rehabilitation sessions, Lindsey Vonn spoke to journalist Elise Taylor to revisit her thirteen seconds of racing before her fall, evacuation to the Cortina hospital, surgeries, unbearable pain, and her decision to compete in the Olympics despite her torn cruciate ligament.
“I was number one in the world and a potential medalist. Today, I’m in a wheelchair,” she admitted, without regretting her attempt to win another Olympic medal. “I don’t want to be remembered only for that fall,” said the 41-year-old skier. She mentioned feeling ready before the accident and remains unable to explain the reason for going off track.
The article also details her medical treatment, including high doses of opioids to alleviate her intense pain, which Lindsey Vonn has since stopped taking. She described a conversation with her doctor where she sweated profusely due to extreme pain. The piece gives insight into her daily routine, which includes physical therapy, hyperbaric chamber sessions, and home exercises.
Lindsey Vonn, aware of the challenge of retiring after a career marked by adrenaline and victories, expressed how skiing pushes her to excel like nothing else. She mentioned the struggle to find joy in ordinary things and the unsettling feeling of being forgotten once retired.
She acknowledged that her last descent was not how she envisioned ending her career, but she appreciated the quality of those thirteen seconds her final run lasted.
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