Hospitalized Mikaela Shiffrin Reveals “Unexpected” Visit After Massive Crashing Ruined Skiing Season

Mikaela Shiffrin’s year took a wild turn after a pretty terrifying crash at the Killington Giant Slalom earlier this month. She was so close to the finish line, just seven gates away when she caught an inside edge, leaned in too much, and ended up flipping skis overhead. The skiing ace slammed into two gates before finally crashing into the fencing. It was one of those moments where everyone watching just held their breath, worried about how bad it might be.

But, true to form, Mikaela bounced back like a total champ. Despite how bad it looked, she came out of it with no broken bones or major internal injuries, though she did suffer a stab wound to her lower right abdomen and some serious muscle damage around the area. She even joked about it on social media, saying, “I was impaled, almost just like Olaf.” While it was a tough injury, she knew the muscle near her oblique would take some time to heal.

A few days after the crash, Mikaela gave fans an update on Instagram, lying in her hospital bed likely filmed by her boyfriend, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde. She shared, “Curveball…😅 Had a little unexpected surgery on Thursday evening after feeling a bit under the weather. Turns out I had a little cavity deeper than the wound tract that was filled with old hematoma and wasn’t properly draining with a wound vac or normal packing…so we went in to wash it out and close it with sutures and a little JP drain to keep the drainage flowing.”

She followed up with a heartfelt message of gratitude, saying, “So thankful for all of the wonderful care and support I’ve received! The biggest bummer right now is that I can’t get up to the finish to watch my teammates race @bcworldcup in person😣 but I’m watching and cheering on TV!! #MovingRightAlong.” Despite the setback, Mikaela’s staying positive, cheering on her teammates, and keeping her followers updated.

In the video Shiffrin posted, it seemed like she was still under the effects of anesthesia, as her words came out a little groggy. She said, “I think things went as well… and I’m feeling okay, just a sore throat from the incubator, but… it’s all good. Love you, and I love you.” In the background, her boyfriend can be heard telling her, “You look great,” to which she replies, “Thank you, and that’s so nice of you to say. I mean… obl…”

She struggled to finish the word, saying “oblii… oblii… obliggg… oliga…ted” before laughing it off. As the video continued, the skiing ace could be seen moving and walking with some assistance! While Shiffrin is cheering for her teammates, she misses her life’s greatest triumph!

Mikaela Shiffrin and Kilde face life-changing injuries

Alpine skiing fans didn’t expect things to unfold the way they have this season. The plan was to see Mikaela Shiffrin and her fiance, Aleksander Kilde, take the spotlight on the Birds of Prey course in Beaver Creek, Colorado. Shiffrin, who’s chasing her 100th World Cup win, and Kilde, one of the best speed skiers out there, were primed for a huge weekend. But that was before Kilde announced in October that he’d be missing the entire World Cup season due to injuries from a brutal crash in January.

To make matters worse, Shiffrin herself ended up sidelined after a crash over Thanksgiving weekend in Vermont, which left her with a pretty serious abdominal injury. While she’s doing better and walking again with the help of a “wound vacuum,” she’s still not back on the slopes yet. The timing couldn’t have been worse as Shiffrin had hoped for Kilde to coach her on the Beaver Creek course, which he’d won a few years ago.

But instead, Kilde’s been focusing on coaching her through recovery and patience something he knows all too well. Since his own crash, Kilde’s been through a rough recovery process. Between shoulder surgery, a deep calf gash, and a scary infection that almost turned into sepsis, he’s been battling his body for months. He couldn’t even move his toes for a while, which is a tough pill for someone as strong as him to swallow.

Kilde’s been cleared to get back on snow, but it’s only for free skiing—not racing yet. He’s still got another surgery ahead to fix his shoulder, but he’s focused on staying in shape in the meantime, cutting out alcohol and sugar, and eating healthy. For Shiffrin, the recovery process is also a waiting game. She’s typically the picture of calm, but even she admits this injury is testing her patience. She joked about it in a video, saying, “I’ve been impaled,” which, yeah, is not something you hear every day—even from an alpine skier. But despite the setbacks, both Shiffrin and Kilde are learning, growing, and staying strong, ready for the day they can finally get back to what they love.