Lindsey Vonn has always been open about the people who shaped her life, and her mother was one of the most important. And losing her was something that didn’t just fade with time.
This year, her mother’s birthday came at a moment when Vonn probably needed her more than ever.
Lindsey Vonn Pens an Emotional Tribute to Her Mother
Lindsey Vonn’s mother, Linda Krohn, was diagnosed with ALS in July 2021 and passed away in August 2022, exactly one year after her diagnosis. Her life had already been shaped by hardship long before that she suffered a major stroke while giving birth to the skier in 1984, which left her with a permanent limp.
Despite that, she drove the American skier from Minnesota to Colorado, 18 hours each way, so her daughter could train and chase her skiing dreams. For Vonn, her mother was not just a parent but a constant source of strength and resilience, someone whose quiet sacrifices made all the difference.
Her birthday this year landed differently. Vonn got on Instagram and went somewhere personal, back to 2018, back to that podium, back to the moment her mother was standing there watching her hold a bronze medal. And she couldn’t help but sit with a question that nobody can answer for her now.
Still recovering, still not fully there physically, the former World Cup Champion found herself thinking about the one person who always knew how to steady her.
“Happy birthday Mom 🤍🙏🏻 Wish you could have been here this year… I don’t know if you would be more proud now than you were at the 2018 Olympics when I got bronze…. But I would really love to know. I bet you would have lifted me up in the hospital and made everything better. You always gave me the most amazing perspective, and I’m trying to keep that going, especially now,” she wrote.
READ MORE: Lindsey Vonn Shares How Her Mother’s Strength After Stroke Inspired Her Skiing Comeback
Vonn wrapped up her message on a deeply personal note, sharing what keeps her going on the hardest days.
“At least I have this video, and when I doubt myself, I can always look at it. I miss you every day and love you more than anything,” she added.
After her time at the Milan-Cortina Olympics, things got serious. She faced significant medical challenges and a difficult recovery period.
Now, it’s about getting through each day. No big statements, no dramatic comebacks yet. Just quiet progress. And somewhere in all of it, her mother is still there in memory, in mindset, in the way she keeps going.
