Lindsey Vonn has a wave of support coming from every corner on Earth.

Alpine skiing legend Lindsey Vonn is receiving an outpouring of support following the tragic end to her Olympic run. Lindsay was airlifted to a hospital in Milan after she crashed at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. It was the second time that she had to be airlifted to a hospital. The first came before the Olympics, when she tore her ACL.

The skier suffered a devastating fall just 13 seconds into her opening downhill run, crashing moments after leaving the start gate. The incident shocked fans worldwide, prompting an outpouring of support, including from Cristiano Ronaldo.

Lindsay shared a video on Instagram sharing her injury story and received a message from Ronaldo. The Portuguese football star wrote, “Champions are defined by the moments they win, and the moments they refuse to give up. The mountains you conquered were never bigger than the strength you carry. Keep fighting. Legends always rise.”

The 41-year-old replied, “Coming from you, this means so much.”

She underwent four surgeries to repair a complex tibia fracture in her left leg and is currently back in the US recovering.

US Skiing Legend Lindsey Vonn Nearly Lost Her Leg

Lindsey Vonn is an Olympic skiing legend who represented the United States and returned from retirement in 2019.

The Olympic athlete needed surgery and was at risk of getting her leg amputated, according to Lindsey Vonn. As of this writing, Vonn has undergone five surgeries to repair a severe, complex tibia fracture in her left leg.

Her injuries were extensive, requiring multiple procedures to manage compartment syndrome and rebuild the leg with plates and screws. Compartment syndrome occurs when excessive pressure builds up inside a muscle, either from bleeding or swelling. High pressure restricts blood flow and can lead to permanent injury if not treated quickly.

Vonn credited Dr. Tom Hackett, an orthopedic surgeon, for conducting a fasciotomy to save her leg. “He filleted it open (and) let it breathe, and he saved me,” she said.

Things worked out in her favor as Hackett was only in Cortina because she was competing after tearing the ACL in her left knee shortly before the Olympics.

“If I hadn’t done that, Tom wouldn’t have been there (and he) wouldn’t have been able to save my leg,” she said.

It is going to be a long road back to health for Lindsey Vonn.