Lindsey Vonn Shares Emotional Reunion With Dog Chance Following ‘Hard Day’ of Recovery

The professional athlete, who is back in the U.S. following her injury at the Milan Cortina Games, enjoyed some much-needed time with her sweet pup.

Lindsey Vonn / ODD ANDERSEN/Getty Images

Lindsey Vonn continues to keep her loyal fans updated in her recovery journey following her injury on the slopes, and the professional athlete showcased some vulnerability in her latest Instagram post.

The Alpine skier, who suffered a complex tibia fracture after crashing during a downhill race at the Milan Cortina Games on Feb. 8, is finally back in her home country after undergoing several surgeries in Italy. Since returning to the U.S., Vonn has also revealed that her gruesome injury, which was made more difficult to repair due to a condition called compartment syndrome, nearly required her leg to be amputated.

“Dr. Tom Hackett saved my leg,” Vonn stated in an Instagram reel on Feb. 23. “ ... He saved me ... I feel very lucky and grateful for him.”

Though Vonn is not yet home, she has moved from the hospital to a hotel, she informed her followers, and on Wednesday, Feb. 25, the athlete shared a wholesome moment with her 3.6 million Instagram followers: the moment she reunited with her dog, Chance.

View this post on Instagram

“Had a pretty hard day yesterday, everything just really hit me hard and I broke down,” Vonn penned in her caption. “I know there will be a lot of days like this… the internal mental battle has just begun but moments like this help me so much. Just miss my boy Leo… One day at a time.”

The corresponding reel showed Vonn cuddling with her pup, who wagged his tail and excitedly peppered his companion’s face with kisses. The athlete adopted Chance last August, just a few months after her King Cavalier Charles Spaniel named Lucy passed in March. Leo, whom she mentioned in her caption, was Vonn’s beloved dog who passed the day after her crash during the Winter Games on Feb. 9.

Many of Vonn’s fans and friends took to the comments section of her emotional post to uplift her. While some pointed out how much her pup clearly adores her, others continued to root for Vonn’s continued recovery.

“This is soo precious 💖 best therapy ever 💖,” one follower wrote.

“I hope chance is giving you all the extra love 💕,” fellow Alpine skier Tricia Mangan added.

“Dogs are the best. Pure love. The best healers. Soak it in, Queen! ❤️❤️❤️,” another noted.

“Chance will help you through this & make your days brighter ❤️🐶 Leo will always be by your side sending you strength from heaven 🪽 Big hug to you! Stay strong 💪🏻,” someone else encouraged.

---

More sports news

feed