“That’s not bad for an old woman,” Lindsey Vonn’s proud father Alan Kildow, a former ski racer had said just last month after she claimed her 84th World Cup victory. But only weeks later… he found himself saying something completely different.

At the Winter Olympics, Kildow was in the stands celebrating his daughter in her last downhill, despite Vonn racing with a torn ACL. Just 13 seconds into the run, Vonn clipped a gate with her right arm, lost balance, and tumbled down the slope…. screams of pain echoed across the course. And soon, medics rushed to her side, and she was airlifted to a hospital in Italy for surgery on a broken left leg. But Kildow…seeing her daughter hurt so badly has changed his outlook.

“She’s 41 years old, and this is the end of her career,” he told The Associated Press. “There will be no more ski races for Lindsey Vonn, as long as I have anything to say about it.” Well, for now, he and the rest of Lindsey Vonn’s family, her brother and two sisters, have been by her side. But the question on everyone’s mind is, will Vonn return?

While he didn’t go into medical details, Kildow praised her emotional strength. “She’s a very strong individual. She knows physical pain and understands the circumstances she’s in. She’s handling it better than I expected,” he said. Recalling the crash, he admitted it was hard to watch: “It’s hard to just accept what happened.” But the crash has left the entire family shaken.

Lindsey’s sister, Karin Kildow, described the moment as “the last thing we wanted to see,” telling NBC that the crash happened so fast their first thought was simply hoping Lindsey was okay. Seeing the stretchers come out was terrifying, she said, and the family spent the following hours praying for updates. Karin also praised Lindsey’s courage, saying she “put it all out there” and that it’s hard for the family to see her hurt. But will she return?

For now, Lindsey Vonn will not return to the Olympics, not even to cheer on teammates. “No, she’s not in that kind of situation,” Alan Kildow said. “She will be going home at an appropriate point in time.” His protection of her now mirrors the guidance he offered throughout her life…from her earliest days on skis to this critical moment of her life!

Alan Kildow and Lindsey Vonn grew up skiing

Since Lindsey Vonn first strapped skis at the age of two, her dad, Alan Kildow, a retired ski racer who retired from the sport due to a knee injury, has played a huge role in her life. He spotted her talent at a tender age, gave her a push, trained her in the fundamentals of riding and made her a champion.  Under his guidance Lindsey didn’t just learn to ski and compete at the top level.

But over the years, their relationship wasn’t always easy. Lindsey has spoken openly about the emotional challenges of growing up with a demanding father. “I always tend to get my dad something ski related for Father’s Day because that’s the one thing we really have in common,” she said.

“He always supported me when I did well which was 90 percent of the time but when I didn’t, he didn’t handle it very well. It was so hot and cold. It was so much criticism and so much negativity and it was really hard to balance my emotions.”

The tension reached a peak around Lindsey’s marriage to fellow skier Thomas Vonn in 2007. Alan did not approve of the relationship and wasn’t invited to the wedding, which led to years of limited communication. Lindsey later said that at one point, they hadn’t spoken in years because the situation “pushed her over the edge.”

After her divorce, Lindsey Vonn reached out, and they slowly began to rebuild their relationship. She described their first conversation as difficult but meaningful, and over time, they worked toward reconnecting. Alan even helped guide her through some of the challenges she faced during that period.

In the years that followed, he returned to attending her races and showing support. By the 2018 Winter Olympics, he was back in the stands cheering her on…a clear sign that their bond had improved.

Today, their relationship is stronger than ever. After Lindsey Vonn’s victory in St. Moritz, she recalled, “He cried so hard, I’ve never heard that before in my life.” And when asked how proud her father was, she laughed and remembered his words: “He said, ‘That’s not bad for an old woman.’”

Through all the ups and downs, Alan Kildow has always been there, proud of the champion his daughter became!