Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn has announced the death of her beloved dog, Leo. The heartbreaking news comes just one day after Vonn sustained a severe crash during a run at the Milan Cortina Olympics, an incident that has already required four surgeries.
"Leo passed away. The day after my crash I said goodbye to my big boy as I laid in my hospital bed," Vonn shared, describing the period as "some of the hardest days of my life." She expressed her enduring love for Leo, who had been battling lung cancer and had been with her for 13 years.
Vonn's Olympic hopes were dashed on February 8th when she fractured her leg during the women's downhill alpine skiing event. Despite an existing ruptured ACL, she attempted to compete, but the crash in Cortina d'Ampezzo has significantly set back her aspirations.
Lindsey Vonn of the United States looks dejected during the Ladies' Alpine Combined on day 13 of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Yongpyong Alpine Centre on Feb. 22, 2018 ,in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
She had previously suffered an ACL injury during a practice run just a week before the Games began.
Lindsey Vonn speeds down the course during alpine skiing women’s downhill official training at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, on Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati))
"Haven’t stood on my feet in over a week… been in a hospital bed immobile since my race. And although I’m not yet able to stand, being back on home soil feels amazing," Vonn posted on X earlier this week, thanking those in Italy for their care.
Vonn, 41, was airlifted from a mountain in Italy following the severe crash. Despite the injuries, she had expressed no regrets about her decision to race.