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Lindsey Vonn’s mother dies 1 year after ALS diagnosis: ‘Grateful for every moment’

The former Olympian's mother was diagnosed with ALS in July 2021.

Former Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn’s mother, Linda Krohn, has died one year after she was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. 

Vonn announced the news on her Instagram Saturday, August 27. She shared a series of family photos throughout the years and several photos of the mother-daughter duo posing together. On the first photo, a throwback of Vonn posing with her mom in her ski gear, the alpine ski racer added the text, “Lindy Anne Lund Mom 1942-2022.”

In the caption, Vonn penned a lengthy message dedicated to her mother, explaining that she had lost her battle with ALS.

“She passed away peacefully as I held her hand, exactly one year after her diagnosis," Vonn wrote. “I am so grateful for every moment I had with her but I am also thankful that she is no longer suffering and in peace. She was a shining light that will never fade and I will forever be inspired by her.”

The 37-year-old athlete continued her caption, including an excerpt from her memoir, “Rise: My Story” which she called “unfortunately fitting now.” Vonn had dedicated the book to her mother, calling her an "inspiration" whose "perpetual positivity" shaped her life.

On her Instagram story, Vonn shared what appeared to be a recent photo of herself and her mother. In the image, Vonn's hand is cupped around her mom's cheek while she sat in a recliner.

"My beautiful mother is in heaven now," Vonn wrote.

Lindsey Vonn/Instagram

ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a neurodegenerative disease that has no cure. The disease destroys the body’s nerve cells that control the muscles that permit us to breathe, eat, speak, and walk.

In June 2022, Vonn delivered an emotional speech at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Hall of Fame induction ceremony, dedicating her induction to her mother.

“She’s taught me so much about strength and character, and it’s because of the example that my mother set that I was able to overcome whatever obstacle was thrown at me," Vonn said at the time. "Thank you, Mom.”

On July 8, Vonn shared a touching post on Instagram marking the one year anniversary of her mother’s diagnosis of ALS.

In the caption, she reflected on her mother’s health journey, which included a stroke that she suffered while giving birth to Vonn. She previously told PBS “NewsHour” in January 2022 that the stroke had caused her mom to walk with a limp, which prohibited her from participating in activities with her daughter, including skiing.

“Since having a stroke while giving birth to me, my Mom has been the picture of strength and more specifically, resilience,” she wrote in the post. “She has always given me the will to keep fighting back whenever I had an injury or obstacle in skiing and in life. Now she is exuding that resilience more than ever before. There are good days and there are bad days but every day we have with her is a great day.”

To conclude the emotional caption, Vonn added, “We have all been dealing with this in our own way and mainly kept this to ourselves. But, in typical form, my mom wants to show her battle in order to help others. I will do my best to honor her and raise awareness for ALS. We love you Mom and we celebrate you every day.”

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