Hours after the dangerous crash that resulted in a shinbone fracture, Lindsey Vonn stepped forward with an update covering details about the injury. In response, several prominent figures, such as Simone Biles and Allyson Felix, shared heartfelt messages of support.

“Yesterday, my Olympic dream did not finish the way I dreamt it would,” Vonn’s Instagram post caption said. “It wasn’t a storybook ending or a fairy tale; it was just life. I dared to dream and had worked so hard to achieve it. Because in downhill ski racing, the difference between a strategic line and a catastrophic injury can be as small as 5 inches.”

The update was quick enough to draw notable reactions from entities all across the globe. The 11-time Olympic medalist Simone Biles appreciated Vonn’s resilience for enduring a serious injury at age 41. While words could be hard to frame in such situations, Biles simply dropped white hearts to show her care.

Hollywood star Arnold Schwarzenegger also weighed in, offering a passionate defense of Vonn’s decision.

“Like many of you, I’ve been following my friend Lindsey Vonn’s inspirational comeback,” he wrote on X. “She’s 41, one knee is completely rebuilt, and now she went into the Olympics with a freshly torn ACL. As storylines go, you can’t get any better. It is gutsy. It is brave. It is a little bit crazy. And it brings out all of the losers to do their naysaying.”

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Schwarzenegger also took a dig at critics, mentioning that they were quick to judge in Vonn’s case. He despised the idea of questioning her choices and labeling them reckless. According to him, the reactions came from people who have never pushed themselves beyond comfort or chased something truly great. He applauded Vonn’s ability to expose herself to uncertainty and risk, making it clear that it’s impossible to discover one’s full potential, as it never comes without risk.

Retired American track and field athlete and 20-time Olympic medal winner Allyson Felix also shared her support, calling Vonn ‘Forever an inspiration,” along with a yellow heart emoji.

During her presence at the women’s downhill competition at the Winter Olympics, Vonn caught the fourth gate with her right arm while passing through it. This caused her to lose her balance. Although she tried to steady herself, her legs spread apart, and her weight shifted too far back on her skis. That loss of control caused her to fall to the right before flipping forward and crashing headfirst into the snow.

She was taken off the mountain by helicopter and first brought to a clinic in Cortina. From there, she was moved to a hospital in Treviso, about two hours away. Doctors later performed surgery at Ca’Foncello Hospital to stabilize a broken bone in her left leg.

After six years of keeping herself on the sidelines, Vonn made a strong return in 2025 following knee replacement surgery. While many doubted she could compete at the highest level again, she quickly silenced those doubts by reaching the podium in all five World Cup downhill races she entered before the Olympics, winning two of them.

Her comeback was cut short after a late-January crash tore her ACL, causing some to question whether chasing a second Olympic gold medal was putting her life at risk. While many fans despised her decision to compete at this point in her life, her teammates also offered strong support, mentioning how the decision or the timing had nothing to do with the injury.

Lindsey Vonn’s teammates back her amid harsh comments from fans

Witnessing Lindsey Vonn’s accident at the Winter Olympics was a big shock for the fans. While many stepped forward to express concerns, others despised her for the decision to plan a return. Several discussions across social media channels portrayed her decision to step back as the reason behind this mishap, and Vonn’s team didn’t stand by the assumptions. Downhill specialist Kyle Negomir proudly admitted to the fact that he had no disagreements with Vonn’s decision to replicate her gold medal-winning performance from 2010.

“Lindsey’s a grown woman and the best speed skier to ever do this sport. If she made her decision, I think she should absolutely be allowed to take that risk,” Negomir said. “She’s obviously good enough that she’s capable of pulling it off.”

Another backing came from Italy’s two-time world champion Federica Brignone. “It’s her choice,” Brignone said. “If it’s your body, then you decide what to do, whether to race or not. It’s not up to others. Only you.”

While many still stand by Vonn’s side as she continues her recovery process, the possibility of her return to competition is uncertain. While her father has directly denied she will have a chance to compete again, it remains to be seen what she thinks about this.