Despite a gnarly injury, Lindsey Vonn is back on the slopes, gearing up for her 2026 comeback. And while she’s widely known as one of the most decorated alpine skiers in the history of the sport, her life off the mountain has drawn just as much attention over the years.

From marriage to high-profile engagements with some of the world’s most famous athletes like Tiger Woods and P.K. Subban, Vonn has spent much of her personal life in the spotlight. Even in May 2021, there were sparks of her dating tequila mogul and actor Diego Osorio. But she never walked down the aisle again after parting ways with her first husband. So naturally, it begs the question, who exactly is the man who once held that title?

Who is Thomas Vonn, and what did he do before marrying Lindsey Vonn?

Thomas Vonn is a former American alpine ski racer and Lindsey Vonn’s ex-husband, and long before their marriage, he had already built a solid reputation as an accomplished athlete himself.

After stepping away from competition, he shifted into coaching, and during their time together, he became much more than just a partner – he was her primary coach, adviser, and manager. He handled nearly every detail of her career, from training and equipment to media strategy and travel logistics, playing a key role in her early success, including her first Olympic gold medal in 2010.

Lindsey often said his presence brought a sense of “equilibrium” to her life, giving her the freedom to focus fully on racing.

How did Lindsey Vonn and Thomas Vonn meet, and when did they get married?

Lindsey Vonn, then Lindsey Kildow, and Thomas Vonn first crossed paths in the tight-knit, high-pressure world of professional alpine skiing. Both were members of the U.S. Ski Team and had competed in the 2002 Olympics, so what started as a connection between fellow competitors slowly grew into something more. Over time, that shared world of training runs, travel, and races naturally evolved into a coaching partnership, and eventually, a relationship.

They officially met during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, which also happened to be Lindsey’s Olympic debut. Bonding over their love for the sport and their similar experiences on the national team, the two quickly formed a close connection that went beyond just skiing.

After four years together, both professionally and personally, Thomas proposed on New Year’s Eve in Kirchberg, Austria, with fireworks lighting up the sky. Not long after, they tied the knot on September 29, 2007, at the Silver Lake Lodge in Deer Valley, in a snowy, postcard-perfect ceremony at the base of a Utah mountain. By then, Thomas, who is nine years older than Lindsey, had already taken on multiple roles in her life: coach, adviser, manager, and even something like a sports psychologist.

According to Lindsey, that dynamic made a big difference. She described Thomas as her “rock of support,” someone who helped guide her training, handle logistics, and steady her nerves before competitions, giving her the confidence to focus fully on racing.

Why did Lindsey Vonn’s father disapprove of her marriage to Thomas Vonn?

The short answer comes down to the age gap. When Lindsey got married, she was 22, and Thomas was 31, and while the wedding marked a happy milestone for the couple, not everyone in her family felt the same way. The difference in age didn’t sit well with her father, and it eventually led to a painful estrangement between Lindsey and Alan Kildow that lasted until her split from Thomas.

That tension was especially tough given their history. Alan, a former competitive skier and a Minneapolis lawyer, had been the one who first introduced Lindsey to the sport. He recognized her talent early on and even moved the entire family to Colorado to support her dreams. Still, despite playing such a big role in launching her career, he would end up watching many of her biggest moments, including the Winter Games, only on television rather than in person.

On the other hand, Lindsey’s mother saw things very differently…

Meanwhile, Linda Krohn was completely supportive of the marriage and felt at ease knowing her daughter had someone looking out for her while she traveled across Europe.

“He’s so good to her, so that she only has to worry about ski racing,” Krohn said. “It’s a wonderful relationship.”

How did the marriage lead to Lindsey Vonn’s estrangement from her father?

The estrangement between Lindsey and her father largely came down to his disapproval of her relationship with Thomas, especially the nine-year age gap between them. But it wasn’t just about age. Tensions also grew over skiing itself.

Alan Kildow had long been the one guiding Lindsey’s career, acting as her coach and adviser, so when Thomas stepped into that role as her primary coach, it created a deep personal and professional conflict.

Things reportedly became even more strained around the time of the wedding. Some accounts suggest her father wasn’t invited to the ceremony in Utah. In the end, Lindsey chose to stand by Thomas, even if it meant distancing herself from her father, and for a time, the two of them leaned on each other as their only family until they eventually separated.

When and why did Lindsey Vonn and Thomas Vonn divorce?

After four years together, Lindsey and Thomas Vonn decided to call it quits. In November 2011, they announced the end of their marriage, and by January 2013, the divorce was finalized. Along with their relationship, they also closed the chapter on a partnership that had once been celebrated, especially during the height of her Olympic success and multiple World Cup titles.

If you’re wondering why they ultimately went their separate ways, it largely came down to the fact that, behind closed doors, the relationship had become a source of deep unhappiness and personal struggle.

She later admitted that she’d reached a breaking point. Despite the image of having a “perfect life,” she felt like she “just can’t live like this,” no matter how successful she was on the slopes. Over time, she felt her life and training were being “dictated” by others, including both her ex-husband and her father, and she realized she needed to take back control.

After the split, both of them began moving forward in different ways. Thomas started a relationship with Shauna Kane, and the couple welcomed a son, Henrik Vonn, in 2018. Lindsey, meanwhile, leaned more on the U.S. Ski Team staff for coaching and logistics instead of Thomas. Even so, she chose not to return to her maiden name, sticking with Lindsey Vonn professionally since that was the name the world already knew.

At the time, Thomas kept things quiet.

In a telephone interview back in 2011, he said, “I honestly can’t discuss anything. It’s just a sad, sad situation. Out of respect for each other, we’re not going to discuss it publicly.”

It was a clear sign that both sides wanted to handle the split privately.

Did Lindsey Vonn ever reconcile with her father after the divorce?

After the divorce was filed, Lindsey Vonn started leaning more on her family as she moved through that next chapter of her life. Instead of travelling to races alone or with just her team, she began bringing her sisters, Karin and Laura, and her brother, Reed, along for support. Being surrounded by familiar faces seemed to bring a sense of comfort and stability during a time that felt anything but steady.

She also reconnected with her father, Alan Kildow, after years of estrangement that dated back to 2005. “My dad is helping me through this,” Vonn said back in 2011, sharing that they had already started talking again. “It’s really great to talk to him again. We’re trying to start over.”

As of January 2026, Lindsey Vonn’s focus was firmly back on skiing, pouring her energy into a professional comeback ahead of the upcoming Winter Olympics. Still, her recent skiing accident proved to be a significant setback, adding another challenge to the journey.