Lindsey Vonn (41) has provided insights into her long road to recovery following her severe crash at the Winter Olympics in February. On Wednesday evening, Vonn made a radiant appearance at the ESPYS. At the annual sports awards ceremony in New York, the skiing icon appeared as a presenter and spoke openly on the red carpet about her continuing difficult recovery process.
"It was a very slow process", Vonn said in conversation with "People". "It's been five months since I've been able to go to the gym in any meaningful way. And walking is actually still very difficult for me. My ankle is still broken."
Dependent on wheelchair and crutches for months
The severe accident occurred on February 8 in the women's downhill final at the Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo. Just 13 seconds after the start of her run, Vonn lost control of her skis, crashed, and flipped multiple times. Rescue workers first brought her down the slope on a stabilization stretcher and then transported her by helicopter to a hospital.
The diagnosis was severe: Vonn suffered a complicated tibia fracture, an ankle fracture, and compartment syndrome. Even before the Olympics, she had sustained a complete ACL tear at a World Cup competition.
The rehabilitation was accordingly lengthy. "I was in a wheelchair for so long, I was on crutches for so long", the 41-year-old reported. She said she was unable to walk without assistance for nearly three and a half months. "I got very emotional when I was able to walk alone again", Vonn said about this important moment in her recovery.
Lindsey Vonn is working on her recovery
Despite the setbacks, the skiing icon continues to work on her comeback. In an Instagram video, she recently showed her progress - from initial exercises for stable standing to squats with a medicine ball.
"I knew I would be here one day, I just didn't know how long it would take", Vonn wrote alongside the clip. "It took five months, but I'm finally here! There's still a very long way to go, but my strength is coming back." For her, it's not just about physical strength. "Maybe more mentally than physically - but that's not a bad thing", she added.
