Lindsey Vonn walked the steps of the Met Gala on May 4, 2026 [1], without the use of crutches.
The appearance marks a significant milestone in the athlete's recovery process. Vonn had been using mobility aids following a high-profile crash during the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics [2].
Walking the stairs of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City was Vonn's first time navigating the venue's iconic steps since the Olympic accident [3]. While she did not use crutches, she was assisted up the stairs by staff members [4].
Vonn attended the event to support Costume Institute curator Andrew Bolton and designer Thom Browne [5]. She wore a creation by Browne that reportedly required 4,000 hours to produce [6].
The event occurred less than three months after the Olympic crash [7]. Vonn said the appearance was intended to demonstrate her progress in recovering from the injuries sustained during the games [5].
Staff members provided physical support as she ascended the stairs, though the absence of crutches served as a visual indicator of her rehabilitation progress [4]. The appearance coincided with the annual gala's focus on fashion, and art [3].
“Vonn walked the steps of the Met Gala on May 4, 2026, without the use of crutches.”
Vonn's decision to ditch her crutches for a high-visibility event suggests a rapid recovery timeline following her Olympic injuries. By choosing the Met Gala for this reveal, she leveraged a global fashion stage to pivot her public narrative from one of injury to one of resilience and recovery.
