“It’s about changing perspectives and setting a new standard for what it means to be older and an athlete. Especially if you’re a woman.” At 40, that is exactly what Lindsey Vonn felt when she decided to come out of a five-year retirement last winter. Yet, few losses cut as deeply as the one she shared this week. Her childhood coach, Erich Sailer, the man who helped shape her into one of the greatest Alpine skiers in history, passed away at the age of 99. For Vonn, this wasn’t just the passing of a coach; it was the departure of a family figure who had been there since the very beginning.

In true Vonn fashion, she found a way to honor him in words that carried as much weight as her countless medals. The message came through a deeply personal Instagram post that walked us down her memory

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