To say that Lindsey Vonn has had quite a journey would be an understatement. The 41-year-old has battled depression, insomnia, and a catalog of injuries that forced her into her first retirement. Then came her Olympic comeback, which, too, came at a cost, as she nearly lost her leg. Through it all, her support system has remained strong. But her mother, one of the most important figures in her life, hasn’t been there to witness some of those moments.

And in an emotional Instagram post, Lindsey Vonn paid tribute to her late mother, Lindy Anne Lund, on what would have been her 74th birthday.

“Happy birthday, Mom 🤍🙏🏻,” Vonn wrote. “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. 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 ❤️.”

The tribute came with a touching video, presumably taken after Vonn won the Olympic bronze medal in 2018, which showed Vonn asking her mother just how proud she was. Her response?

“I am the most I have ever been in my entire life!”

That comes as no surprise, given the accolades and awards that Lindsey Vonn has won throughout her career. But more than that, she has become a shining example of grit and determination over the years, something that especially shone during her comeback. However, her comeback came nearly four years after Vonn suffered one of her toughest losses when her mother tragically passed away in August 2022 from ALS.

Linda Anne Vonn was diagnosed with this degenerative muscle disease in 2021, and within a year of her diagnosis, she passed away. Yet her impact has been immense, especially on Lindsey Vonn, her oldest child. The 41-year-old has always cited her mother as one of her biggest role models, and she taught her one of the most important lessons that has helped keep her going.

Advice that keeps Lindsey Vonn going through her toughest moments

Vonn had been out for nearly six years at that point, but returned and started performing incredibly well, so much so that she soon became a contender for the FIS downhill crystal globe ahead of the Olympics.

But barely minutes into her comeback at the 2026 Winter Olympics, Lindsey Vonn suffered a heartbreaking crash that saw her get airlifted to a hospital. What followed was five surgeries and nearly losing her leg, but she is back up and currently rehabbing her leg. She has since posted regular updates on her rehabilitation progress as she slowly regains her strength.

One of the major driving forces for her is likely the enduring spirit and memory of her late mother. The skiing legend revealed in December 2025 that one of the most important lessons her mother taught her was to never give up, a lesson she has followed throughout her life.

“I’m a little bit crazy, I’m a downhill ski racer,” Vonn told Olympics.com. “I’ve been injured many times, but I’ve always picked myself back up and kept trying. I learned that from my mother—always try. Even if I fail, I give it my very best.”

And that advice has clearly helped Vonn, who picked herself up after retiring in 2019 due to multiple knee injuries. But thanks to a partial knee replacement in 2024, she returned to racing only to watch it end in such tragic circumstances. And even now, Lindsey Vonn is recovering incredibly fast, and she may not be done with skiing either.

Only time will tell, though, whether the American ever returns to the slopes competitively again.