Lindsey Vonn opens up about heartbreaking loss after Olympics crash as dog Leo dies a day later

Lindsey Vonn is going through one of the most emotional moments of her life. Just days after crashing during the women’s downhill event at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, the Olympic skier revealed that her beloved dog Leo passed away. Vonn shared the news on Instagram on February 18 while she was recovering from surgery in a hospital bed. She said Leo died on February 9, only one day after her crash, making the past few days extremely painful for her.

In her post, Vonn explained that Leo had recently been diagnosed with lung cancer and his heart started failing soon after. She wrote that saying goodbye from a hospital bed felt unreal and deeply personal. The skier described Leo as her “first love” and a constant companion through injuries and difficult moments in her career. The update came while she continues to recover from multiple leg surgeries after her Olympic accident in Italy.

Lindsey Vonn opens up about Leo’s final days and the emotional weight of losing him

Lindsey Vonn shared full, emotional words about what happened during those difficult days. She wrote, “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.”

She explained that on the same day she crashed, Leo also began struggling badly with his health. According to her message, his body could no longer keep up, and she chose to say goodbye while still recovering in hospital.

Vonn said Leo had been with her for 13 years and helped her through many phases of her career, including previous ACL injuries and emotional setbacks.



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She remembered how he stayed by her side when she felt low and gave her comfort during hard times. In her words, there will never be another dog like him.

She also shared that she finds some peace thinking Leo is no longer in pain and that he has joined her late dogs Lucy and Bear, as well as family members she has lost in recent years.

Even while preparing for more surgery, she said she would be thinking about him when she closed her eyes.

The story has connected with fans because it shows a very human side of a champion athlete, someone dealing with injury, recovery, and personal loss all at the same time.




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