For Lindsey Vonn, the pain of the 2026 Winter Olympics extended far beyond the physical.
The 41-year-old skiing legend has revealed that she is mourning the loss of her beloved dog, Leo, who passed away just one day after her horrific crash on the slopes in Italy. Vonn shared the heartbreaking news on Instagram on Wednesday, Feb. 18, detailing a week of unimaginable loss.
Leo, Vonn’s constant companion for 13 years, died on Feb. 9. The day before, on Feb. 8, Vonn had crashed during the women’s downhill event—an accident that occurred on a torn ACL and resulted in her needing multiple surgeries.
“This has been an incredibly hard few days. Probably the hardest o[f] life. I still have not come to terms that he is gone…” Vonn wrote, alongside a carousel of photos celebrating her bond with the dog.
A Double Tragedy
In her emotional post, Vonn explained that the timing of Leo’s decline was eerily同步 with her own accident. On the same day she crashed, Leo also “crashed,” experiencing heart failure amid a recent lung cancer diagnosis.
“He was in pain and his body could no longer keep up with his strong mind,” she wrote. “I had lost so much that meant something to me in such a short amount of time. I can’t believe it.”
Vonn revealed that she had to say goodbye to “my big boy” from her hospital bed in Italy, unable to be by his side in his final moments.
A First Love and Constant Companion
Leo was more than just a pet; he was a lifeline. Vonn reflected on how the dog entered her life during her second ACL injury, a time when she needed him most.
“He held me on the sofa as I watched the Sochi Olympics. He lifted me up when I was down. He [laid] by me, and cuddle[d] me, always making me feel safe and loved,” she recalled. “There will never be another Leo. He will always be my first love.”
Finding Comfort in Heaven
Despite the agony of the loss, Vonn is finding solace in the belief that Leo is no longer in pain and has been reunited with loved ones who passed before him. She mentioned her late mother Linda, who died in 2022, and her two other beloved dogs, Lucy (who died last year) and Bear (who died in 2022).
“I know he’s up there with Lucy and Bear and my mom and grandparents and so many people I have lost in the past few years,” she wrote. “I take [peace] knowing he’s not in pain anymore.”
Vonn, who recently returned to the U.S. after undergoing surgeries in Italy, ended her post with a poignant note about her ongoing recovery. She revealed that she was facing additional surgery on the very day she shared the news of Leo’s passing, adding, “I will be thinking of him when I close my eyes.”
For a champion who has faced countless physical challenges on the slopes, this emotional blow may be the hardest to process. As she said herself, it will be a while before she can “emotionally process things.”
