Lindsey Vonn made a powerful statement of resiliency at the 2026 Met Gala.
Vonn, 41, walked in public without her crutches for the first time following her devastating crash at the 2026 Winter Olympics when she hit the red carpet at the Monday, May 4, fundraiser at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
The decorated skier wore a custom Thom Browne gown for the event, which Browne, 60, wanted to mimic “one of the centuries-old statues that line the halls of the museum,” according to Vogue.
Days before the Gala, Vonn described the significance of attending the soiree without any assistance.
“It’s been the light at the end of the tunnel,” she told CNN on Friday, May 1. “From the start to the top of the stairs, if I can make it with no crutches, that’s a huge win.”
Vonn suffered a compound fracture and tibial plateau fracture in her left leg after crashing at the Milano Cortina Games on February 8. She underwent multiple surgeries in the immediate aftermath, including one to save her leg after she suffered compartment syndrome.
The crash at the Olympics came just days after she completely tore her ACL during her race at the World Cup in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.
“I’ve been in such a different world, especially since my crash,” Vonn told Vogue ahead of the Met Gala. “This is kind of my coming-out party—I get to be around people, wearing a dress that’s beautiful and feminine, and put my crutches down for the first time.”
She continued, “Monday will be the first few steps that I take — definitely first stairs — without crutches. I’m excited, for many reasons, to get to that point.”
Vonn had “no notes” when designer Browne sent her his idea for her Met Gala ensemble.
“When he sent me the sketch, I didn’t know what to expect because Thom has a lot of variety in what he’s shown at the Met,” she told Vogue.
Vonn added, “It’s actually very light and it moves really well. It’s perfect for my body and the position that I’m in right now.”
In addition to showing off her progress, Vonn admitted that the Met Gala was a chance for her to be social again.
“This is going to be really exciting for me,” Vonn told Vogue. “I’ve been so isolated for so long. It’s going to be nice to be around a lot of people that I know and care about, and celebrate the evening in the most beautiful dress I could imagine.”
