On January 11, the ongoing FIS Ski World Cup 2025 will host the downhill race in St. Anton in Austria. The very next day, the Alpine ski racing destination will have the Super-G race. Lindsey Vonn‘s return to downhill racing after six years makes the dates incredibly important. The 40-year-old ski racing legend is all set to enter her second race in her comeback series in the World Cup this season. Before St. Anton, she competed in the Super-G race at St. Moritz in December last year. However, in such a high-octane situation, Vonn’s heart went through an emotional storm thinking about the devastating California wildfires. 

Before heading to her first downhill race in six years, Lindsey Vonn dropped a heartfelt message on Instagram. Posted on January 10, her Instagram post read, “With so many friends struggling back in Los Angeles with their homes burnt to the ground, it’s honestly been hard to stay focused. My home was in the evacuation zone and even just the thought of losing it was emotional. I can only imagine what it must feel like for the people who lost everything.” Reportedly, on Friday, the firefighters made progress in containing the dreaded situation. But a huge loss has already occurred in the four-day fire siege in Los Angeles. 

According to the LA Times report dated 10th January, the wildfire has already destroyed more than 12,000 establishments, and more than 150,000 people are under mandatory evacuation orders. On Friday, the local climate took a significant change as the wind speed lessened. That drastic change came as a blessing for the firefighters. They earned an edge over the devastating fire. However, in some places, the rate of success in dousing is still under 10%, and scenes like those pierced Lindsey Vonn’s heart. 

The continuous updates from the situation made her worried. She is now far away from California. Yet it seems she can’t stop her mind from thinking about those. The four-time world champion mentioned in her Instagram post, “It’s another example to appreciate what you have. No matter how bad your day is, someone always has it worse.” Since her last downhill race in the FIS Ski World Cup 2019, Lindsey has gone through so many changes. She has been at the surgery table. Also, in the low times, she has been on the test of patience. Still, at 40, she is trying to find a grip on her sporting love. She is standing in front of a massive test again. 

A victory in the race will earn Lindsey the necessary points in the ongoing World Cup season. But the victory can also be her tribute to all those individuals who are still standing firm despite losing everything in the California wildfires. “I am beyond grateful to be here, and I will do my best to make it mean something!” In 2007, Vonn won the downhill race by clocking 68 mph at the fast section of the skiing course. 18 years later, will she be able to create a similar magic? Fans will hope that it will do the same for Vonn.

Meanwhile, several big names have since shared heartfelt messages of support for the California wildfire victims. 

A few other sports stars join Lindsey Vonn 

Lindsey Vonn concluded her Instagram post by writing, “Sending my love and prayers to everyone in LA, this one is for you!” Several sports stars joined her to magnify the helping voice for the individuals, falling into the wildfire trap. One such came from LeBron James. Since 2018, the Los Angeles Lakers star has been living in the Pacific Palisades. Not only him, but some other Laker stars are also from the same neighborhood. Now, the endless tentacles of wildfire have made them face the rough days. In the meantime, LeBron has thought about the victims’ suffering. He posted on X, “Praying for everyone in Southern California!! !” Someone from MLB also joined Vonn and James to share a heartfelt note. 

Playing for the Los Angeles Angels, Mike Trout wrote a message on X on January 9. The message read, “Our hearts are aching. Praying for everyone affected by the fires in Los Angeles. And thank you to the brave firefighters and first responders working tirelessly to protect our communities. Stay safe everyone.” The stars, however, have not lost any hope of seeing the situation getting normal. It might take time, but every big name has urged the victims to keep patience to see the better days. Now, Lindsey Vonn wants to claim a suitable result in the upcoming downhill race to give a fitting tribute to everyone suffering.