Mikaela Shiffrin‘s fiancé Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, made a lengthy video explaining his recovery journey. Kilde has been out of action since suffering a horrific crash at Lauberhorn in January. However, the 2020 World Cup Overall Champion had more heartbreaking news for fans just days ahead of the 2024-25 season kickoff.

Kilde dashed the hopes of fans who thought he’d recover before the skiing season. However, Shiffrin’s partner also thanked her for being a pillar of emotional support through his toughest phase. Now, Shiffrin has shown just how much she pays attention to the little things with a wholesome tribute to Kilde on Instagram. The alpine skiing icon stunned fans with a clip of her playing guitar and singing a song for her ailing fiancé.

“Earlier this week… a lil tune for @akilde. The Devil’s Tears by @angusandjuliastone. One of the first songs I was ever taught (and my favorite to play),” wrote Mikaela Shiffrin as she performed an unplugged version of the song for Aamodt Kilde. The clip showed the 97-time World Cup race winner performing the chorus as a dedication to her partner.

“I’ll taste the devil’s tears, drink from his soul, but I’ll never give up you,” sang the 29-year-old, dedicating the lyrics to Kilde. The song Shiffrin chose to perform was sung by the Australian brother and sister folk/pop duo Angus & Julia Stone. The Devil’s Tears is a track from their second studio album, Down the Way, released in 2010.

Besides professing her love for Aamodt Kilde through the heartwarming performance, Mikaela Shiffrin’s performance stunned fans. They bowed down to Shiffrin’s talent, as the alpine skiing legend revealed that she also possessed a soulful voice. The five-time World Cup Champion also finger-picked arpeggios on the guitar while singing, further impressing everyone.

Shiffrin only uploaded the chorus of The Devil’s Tears. However, her skill on the instrument and voice hinted that the 60-time World Cup slalom winner won’t have problems singing the rest of the song. Yet most importantly, gestures like these have helped Aleksander Aamodt Kilde cope with the setbacks in his recovery.

Mikaela Shiffrin’s fiancé’s road to recovery has been a difficult one

In the Norwegian skier’s late October health update, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde said his recovery took a serious blow in July. “Until June this summer, I was seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Basically, things were going great,” explained the 32-year-old. His leg and shoulder injuries were well on the way to healing when Kilde started to feel uneasy.

Suddenly, the competitive skier felt fatigued, and despite undergoing rehab, something didn’t feel right. So Mikaela Shiffrin’s partner went for further tests and discovered his already injured shoulder had contracted an infection. However, the worst was yet to come as the antibiotics, which had been effective at halting the infection, stopped working.

Kilde explained that he got he “needed to undergo another two surgeries,” to control the infection. However, the damage to his shoulder and the deltoid muscle was significant. “Two of the muscles is still not attached,” he added. And while Kilde assured he’ll be back next season, the bitter-sweet news left the skiing world emotional.

Besides Mikaela Shiffrin’s heartfelt tribute, the official Val Gardena also made a tribute video for the champion skier. “Our tribute to you, @akilde. We wish you all the best and hope to see you back on the slopes in Val Gardena soon! Your spirit, passion, and talent will be missed this season!” read the caption. So while Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, with Mikael Shiffrin by his side, the skin is in good hands.