Lindsey Vonn has arrived back in the United States more than one week after a major crash during the women’s downhill ended her Olympic run. She’s undergone numerous surgeries after she sustained a complex tibia fracture, and still has at least one additional surgery to go.
After getting home, Vonn shared some heartbreaking news with her fans on social media. On Wednesday, February 18, the champion skier said that her dog, Leo, has died.
“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,” Vonn captioned an Instagram post that included some photos of her pup.
“The day I crashed, so did Leo. He had been recently diagnosed with lung cancer (he survived lymphoma a year and a half ago) but now his heart was failing him. He was in pain and his body could no longer keep up with his strong mind,” she continued, adding, “As I layed (sic) in my hospital bed the day after my crash, we said goodbye to my big boy. I had lost so much that meant something to me in such a short amount of time. I can’t believe it. My boy has been with me since my second ACL injury, when I needed him most. He held me on the sofa as I watched the Sochi Olympics. He lifted me up when I was down. He layed by me, and cuddle me, always making me feel safe and loved. We have been through so much together in 13 years.”
Vonn is finding comfort in knowing that Leo is now with her other two dogs, Lucy and Bear, whom she previously lost. She called Leo her “first love” and said she will love him “forever.”
Vonn is set to undergo another leg surgery today.
