‘I Can Do Whatever I Set My Mind To’- Lindsey Vonn Opens Up About Surgery That ‘Changed Her Life Forever’
Lindsey Vonn announced her comeback to skiing at the age of 40 last year, surprising many. The former Olympic champion had retired in 2019 due to her history of injuries.
However, a partial knee replacement surgery, which she underwent last April, is the reason her return to skiing became possible. In fact, she got candid in a recent interview about how this surgery turned out to be life-changing for her.
Lindsey Vonn Reveals Why She Decided to Make a Comeback to Skiing
Vonn decided to return to skiing after realizing she was no longer in constant pain, a stark contrast to how things were before. Since her retirement had been forced by her physical limitations, she wanted this comeback to be on her own terms, noting that the surgery had truly changed her life.
In a recent interview with KING-TV Seattle, she said: “It changed my life forever, and no matter what happens, my life is forever different because I was in so much pain before, and it really affected almost everything I did in my life.”
“Now, I can do whatever I set my mind to. You know, if I want to play tennis for 2 hours, I actually can. If I want to go hiking or biking or, you know, scuba diving, whatever I want to do or race in the Olympics, you know, my body is saying yes. And for the longest time, it said no,” the 82-time World Cup winner added.
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Following her comeback to the slopes, Vonn earned her first World Cup podium since returning from retirement at the World Cup season finals in Sun Valley, Idaho, on March 23, competing in the Super-G event.
Vonn Shares Her Excitement After Landing on The Cover of TIME Magazine
Vonn expressed her excitement and gratitude after landing on the cover of TIME magazine. She recalled her mother’s love for the magazine and imagined how proud her late mother would have been, knowing it was one of her favorites.
Via an Instagram post, she made this emotional reflection, adding, “I’m just a girl from Minnesota who wanted to ski fast. But this cover means I’ve done a lot more in my life than just ski fast.”
“People might not know what I’ve done on the mountain, but they know that no matter how many times I fall, I will always pick myself back up, and I hope it inspires others to do the same!”, she added.
Vonn, who recently turned 41, hoped her story would inspire others to chase their dreams and never give up, showing that it’s possible to achieve great things at any age. She also mentioned that no matter the outcome of her skiing comeback, she had already won by following her heart, passion, and purpose, rather than seeking external validation.
