Lindsey Vonn just hit us all right in the feels. A few hours ago, she shared, “I’ve cried so much in the past week I don’t know if there are any more tears left in me…” And honestly? Who could blame her? Just last week, she was on cloud nine, celebrating her first podium finish since making her big comeback. Now, life has flipped the script in the worst way possible—on March 31, she lost someone who had been her shadow for nearly a decade.

Her sweet Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Lucy, crossed the rainbow bridge, and Vonn’s heart is in pieces. She poured her soul out on Instagram: “…from the very first moment until the very last, she brought so much light …We traveled the world together, skied, hiked, biked, explored, went down waterfalls, up in air balloons, to the Olympics… I love her and my heart will never be the same without her. There will never be another Lucy.” If that doesn’t hit like a ton of bricks, I don’t know what does. But..

A couple of days later, the pain hasn’t packed its bags just yet, but Lindsey Vonn is finding ways to hold onto the love. On April 2, she reshared a throwback from Von Dogs—yep, the Instagram account she made just for her pups. The post? A cozy snap from 2022 of Lucy, snuggled up under a white blanket, peeking out with those big, soulful eyes like she knew she had the best seat in the house. And Vonn’s caption? A punch straight to the heart: “I miss waking up to this face 💔.” And that right there says it all.

Lucy had been battling kidney failure, and Lindsey Vonn knew the prognosis wasn’t great—but knowing doesn’t make it any easier when it’s time to say goodbye. Lucy may not be by Vonn’s side anymore, but let’s be real—she’s never really gone. Because of love like that? It sticks with you, no matter what. And while the loss hit hard, life had a way of balancing the scales. Because just months back, a beloved family member of hers was finally free from the life-threatening disease.

Amidst heartbreak, Lindsey Vonn finds a bittersweet silver lining

Lindsey Vonn’s dogs aren’t just pets—they’re her ride-or-die crew. Leo and Jade are still by her side, but losing Lucy has left a hole no amount of dog cuddles can fully fill. Leo, her first rescue back in 2014, has been through it all with her. When she shared in November that he had cancer, it was a punch to the gut.

But in true fighter fashion, Leo pulled through, and just two months later, Vonn got to celebrate him graduating from chemo. Each twist and turn of Vonn’s comeback season found Leo by her side because her strength includes the love she possesses across all aspects of her existence.

But while Leo got his miracle, Lucy didn’t. At this heartbreaking moment, she seems to be in eternal union with Bear, who was one of Vonn’s beloved dogs. Back in 2023, she shared her emotions on Instagram when Bear passed away, writing, “My beautiful boy passed away 💔 Bear was 8 years old and was my protector from the first day I rescued him.”

The emotional pain became evident when she described how doctors had diagnosed Bear with the aggressive heart cancer Hemangiosarcoma days before he died. She tried every possible measure but lost the battle against his pain, and he passed on. Bear had a special role as more than a pet because he acted as her protector and provided comfort whenever she needed it.

After experiencing overwhelming grief, she thought back on the extraordinary seven-year period she spent with him. “Bear was special. One of a kind. He was fiercely protective of me, my shadow wherever I went,” she wrote, remembering how he never left her side, especially when she was injured or in tears. Even in 2024, nearly two years after his passing, the pain still lingered. She admitted as much in a heartfelt Instagram post: “Dang it Jon, you made me cry! I lost my best boy almost 2 years ago now… still hurts like hell. Dogs are angels, here and in heaven. 🙏🏻” That kind of loss doesn’t fade—it just settles into the heart, always there, always felt.  Now, with Lucy joining him on the other side, saying goodbye never gets easier.