When Lindsey Vonn surged from the starting gate in Cortina d’Ampezzo on February 8, it was expected to be another outstanding Olympic run. Instead, it became a battle to save her leg from being amputated. The American ski legend crashed in the women’s downhill, but what appeared early on to be a catastrophic break turned into a medical crisis that was much worse than anyone knew on the snow.

Within hours, doctors learned that Vonn’s injuries included more than just broken bones. She had a complicated tibia fracture, as well as fractures to her fibular head and tibial plateau. But the biggest problem was compartment syndrome, a nerve and blood vessel crushing condition brought on by severe swelling and internal hemorrhaging that compresses pressure within muscle compartments. When left untreated, tissue starts to die. In severe cases, amputation is the only option.

And just now, Lindsey Vonn, who has finally been released from the hospital, revealed just how close she came to that reality. “Dr. Tom Hackett saved my life. He saved my leg from being amputated.”

Who is Dr. Thomas R. Hackett?

After the crash, Lindsey Vonn underwent at least four surgeries in Italy. Swelling continued to rise. Blood was collected in the damaged compartments of her leg. Pain was severe. The risk was growing by the hour. That is when Dr. Thomas R. Hackett performed a fasciotomy. The procedure involves surgically opening the leg to release the trapped pressure and restore blood flow. It is aggressive, and it is often the only way to prevent permanent damage.

Vonn described it as, “He cut open both sides of my leg and fileted it open so to speak… let it breathe and he saved me.” The operation lasted six hours. It stabilized the limb. It prevented amputation. Nearly fifteen days after the crash, Vonn was finally released from the hospital. “It has been quite the journey, and by it was the most extreme and painful and challenging thing I’ve ever faced in my entire lifetime times 100.” So, who is he?

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Dr. Thomas R. Hackett, MD, is not new to high-pressure environments. He is a complex knee and shoulder surgeon known for treating elite athletes. He serves as the team Physician for the US Snowboard Team and also a medical consultant to the Colorado Rockies.

Hackett trained under Dr. Frank Jobe, the surgeon who pioneered the Tommy John procedure. He later completed advanced trauma training at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and a Sports Medicine fellowship at the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic in Los Angeles.

During his time in Los Angeles, he worked with professional teams including the Lakers, Dodgers, Kings, Ducks, Galaxy, and Sparks. He is board-certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and has published research in shoulder, elbow, and knee surgery. Outside of the hospital, Hackett has been involved in wilderness rescue and ski patrol.

That combination of sports medicine and trauma expertise proved lifesaving in Vonn’s case. However, broken bones, fractures, and all weren’t the only threat.

Lindsey Vonn’s fight through blood and pain

Lindsey Vonn’s recovery has been far from simple. She lost a large amount of blood during surgery and required a transfusion after her hemoglobin levels dropped dangerously low. Pain management was difficult. Healing was slower than expected. Even when she shared the video, her hands were shaking. “I was really struggling,” she admitted. “Pain was a little bit out of control… and I had a blood transfusion. That helped me a lot and I turned the corner, and now I am out!”

She also revealed she broke her right ankle in the crash. For now, she remains in a wheelchair and expects to use crutches for weeks, possibly months. Rehabilitation has already begun. The road ahead will be long.

Even before the crash in the Olympics, Lindsey Vonn shared that she had torn her ACL shortly before the Olympics but still performed. That injury may have placed Dr. Hackett close enough to respond when the downhill crash occurred.

“If I hadn’t torn my ACL, Tom wouldn’t have been there, and he wouldn’t have been able to save my leg,” she said. “I feel very lucky and grateful.”

Sure, she faced heartbreak at the Olympic Games in Milan as it was supposed to be her last Olympics at 41. But it could have ended a lot worse. Due to the quick thinking of a single surgeon and six hours on the operating table, Lindsey Vonn did not lose her leg.