Lindsey Vonn, an iconic figure in US skiing, made a significant return to the spotlight as she walked without crutches for the first time since her devastating crash at the Olympics. She graced the carpet at the 2026 Met Gala, a testament to her resilience and recovery.
At 41, the former Olympic gold medalist was among the select few to receive an invitation to the prestigious event held at the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art in New York City. The annual gala is famously known as the Super Bowl of red carpets, drawing celebrities and sports legends alike.
This year’s theme, “Fashion Is Art,” saw Vonn embracing the directive with her own unique flair. She stunned attendees with an exquisite creation by Thom Browne—a dazzling white mermaid gown adorned with intricate black patterns and a dramatic tulle trim.
While Vonn’s attire captured the essence of the evening, it was her independent stride that truly captivated onlookers. For the first time in three months, she appeared without the crutches that had become a staple in her recovery journey.
Dressed by Thom Browne, she sported a glamorous beaded white mermaid gown with an inky black pattern overlayed and a large tulle trim.
Yet, the most striking aspect of Vonn’s appearance was the lack of crutches. The mobility aids have been her permanent accessories for the past three months.
The American fashion house even designed a custom cane for Vonn to use for the opulent occasion as she stepped out without her crutches.
US skiing icon Lindsey Vonn dazzled as she attended the Met Gala on Monday evening
The 41-year-old walked the carpet without the aid of crutches for the first time since her crash
Vonn last attended the Met Gala in 2013 with then-boyfriend Tiger Wods, She wore a sleek, high-neck white gown for the occasion, while the golf star opted for a simple black suit. They broke up in 2015.
Her Olympic comeback was derailed in february by a nasty crash on the slopes at the Milan-Cortina Games that forced her to have eight surgeries.
Vonn suffered a complex fracture – and even faced the threat of losing her leg – after falling during the women’s downhill skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
She has spent the past few months undergoing rehab, progressing from the hospital bed to a wheelchair and then to crutches. She recently revealed that the punishing recovery has taken a toll on her mental health.
Vonn was pictured still relying on the crutches on Saturday when she attended at pre-Met party hosted by Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos.
Yet, she reached a major milestone in her recovery when she attended Monday’s event without the crutches, after previously admitted that she had earmarked the Met Gala as the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ in her long rehabilitation.
Vonn shared a video of herself earlier in the evening. Still dressed in a fluffy white robe, she was captured taking tentative steps down a hotel corridor with the use of a cane. Partway down the hallway she paused and unbelievably began to perform chorus line kicks with both legs.
She then rested the cane against the wall and proceeded to demonstrate her finest catwalk impression without any support.
‘First steps… I’m coming for you MET Gala!!’ she captioned the post, which was evidence of her remarkable progress.
The skier was dressed by Thom Browne (pictured right) for the fashion extravaganza
The American designer created a custom-made cane for Vonn to use at the event
Vonn shared a video from her Met preparations earlier in the evening showing her progress
‘There are a few stairs. Yes, it’s going to be intense,’ she told CNN last week. ‘I was like: “Can I do this? Can I do this?” [But] Thom Browne asked me a long time ago.
‘It’s been the thing that I’m like: “Can I get there?” It’s been the light at the end of the tunnel. I’m going to try to walk.’
Vonn continued: ‘It’s supposed to be my first day of walking a little bit without crutches. So from the start to the top of the stairs, if I can make it with no crutches, that’s a huge win.’
Vonn still needs at least one more surgery to repair a torn ACL in her knee and the 41-year-old admitted that she remains in ‘survival mode’ following the sickening crash.
‘I think you have to be reflective. And I haven’t really been able to be that reflective yet, because I’m still in survival mode,’ she told CNN.
‘I’m still really fighting my way through it. I’ve tried to start my therapy with my therapist and I just can’t really get there yet. And there will be a lesson. And, you know, I always try to look at the positives of everything.
‘Maybe this is going to be the best thing that’s ever happened to me in my life. Maybe some door will open that would never otherwise be open to me.
‘So as horrible as this is and as hard as it is, like, who knows where the future will take me in? I’m just kind of along for the ride.’
