>>> WE ARE BACK WITH IN-DEPTH TODAY.
TODAY. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT SKIING
ROYALTY.
ROYALTY. THE GREAT LINDSEY VONN IS HERE.
AFTER YEARS OF POURING HER HEART
AND SOUL INTO THE SPORT, LINDSEY
COMPLETED IN HER FINAL EVENT
EARLIER THIS MONTH.
SHE WALKS AWAY AS THE MOST
DECORATED FEMALE SKIER EVER.
BEFORE WE CHAT WITH HER, WE’LL
TAKE A LOOK BACK AT HER CAREER,
FULL OF ACCOLADES AND
ADRENALINE.
ADRENALINE. >> Reporter: LINDSEY VONN LEFT
IT ALL ON THE SLOPES.
THE HEARTBEAT OF AMERICAN SKIING
FOR NEARLY TWO DECADES.
>> A SUPERHERO TODAY.
>> Reporter: VONN’S OLYMPIC GOLD
IN VANCOUVER GAVE US REASON TO
CHEER.
CHEER. HER 82 WORLD CUP VICTORIES ARE
THE MOST EVER BY A FEMALE SKIER.
THE MINNESOTA NATIVE’S
POPULARITY TRANSCENDING HER
SPORT, LANDING HER ON MAGAZINE
COVERS AND RED CARPETS.
>> LINDSEY VONN.
>> Reporter: EVEN AS SERIOUS
INJURIES TOOK THEIR TOLL, VONN
STAYED ON COURSE.
LAST YEAR IN PYEONGCHANG, SHE
DEDICATED THE DOWNHILL BRONZE TO
HER LATE GRANDFATHER.
LAST MONTH, VONN REVEALED SHE
WAS STRUGGLING TO SKI THROUGH
THE PAIN.
THE PAIN. >> I’M NOT SURE.
I’M NOT SURE IF I CAN KEEP
GOING.
GOING. >> Reporter: DAYS LATER,
ACKNOWLEDGING, IT WAS TIME TO
WALK AWAY, WRITING ON INSTAGRAM
THAT HER BODY WAS, QUOTE, BROKEN
BEYOND REPAIR.
BEYOND REPAIR. CLOSING OUT HER CAREER AT THE
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS THIS MONTH,
VONN CRASHED DURING THE SUPER G.
>> JUST BECAUSE I GET KNOCKED
DOWN DOESN’T MEAN I CAN’T GET
BACK UP.
BACK UP. I STILL HAVE ONE MORE CHANCE.
>> Reporter: VONN TOOK ADVANTAGE
OF IT, COMING BACK TO SNAG ONE
LAST MEDAL IN THE DOWNHILL.
>> I FOUGHT WITH MY HEART THE
WHOLE WAY DOWN.
>> Reporter: A FITTING END FOR
THE CHAMPION WHOSE HEART DEFINED
HER LEGACY.
HER LEGACY. >> WE’RE HAPPY LINDSEY IS HERE
FOR HER FIRST INTERVIEW SINCE
RETIREMENT.
RETIREMENT. LINDSEY.
LINDSEY. >> HODA.
>> HODA. >> CAN I SAY THIS ON TV?
I DON’T CARE.
YOU’RE A BADASS MAN.
YOU ARE.
YOU ARE. MAKING ME WATCH THAT MADE ME
THINK, OH, MY GOD.
>> THANK YOU.
>> TELL ME THIS, YOU ANNOUNCE
YOUR RETIREMENT, PUT YOUR HEAD
ON THE PILLOW, WAKE UP IN THE
MORNING.
MORNING. WHAT WAS THAT REALIZATION LIKE
FOR YOU?
FOR YOU? >> IT’S REALLY BIZARRE.
IT’S WEIRD BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
YOU ARE IN SUCH A ROUTINE.
YOU WAKE UP, YOU GO TO THE GYM,
YOU DO THERAPY, YOU KNOW.
YOUR WHOLE LIFE IS SCHEDULED,
YOU KNOW.
YOU KNOW. I’VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 20
YEARS.
YEARS. TO WAKE UP AND SUDDENLY NOT HAVE
THAT IS REALLY WEIRD.
I HAVE NOT ADAPTED AT ALL.
I’M KIND OF LOSING MY MIND
ALREADY, AND IT’S ONLY BEEN A
WEEK.
WEEK. >> I WAS PLEASED TO SEE THAT
WHEN YOU CAME HOME, YOU PUT THE
KEY IN THE DOOR AFTER ALL OF IT
WAS OVER, AND I SAID, I WONDER
WHAT LINDSEY IS GOING HOME TO
THAT NIGHT.
THAT NIGHT. YOU WALKED IN, AND YOUR ADORABLE
BOYFRIEND HAD DECK KATEORATED YO
APARTMENT WITH A GOAT, BECAUSE
YOU ARE THE GREATEST OF ALL
TIME.
TIME. MUST BE NICE TO COME HOME TO
SOMEONE YOU LOVE.
>> IT WAS THE BEST WELCOME HOME
PRESENT I COULD HAVE EVER ASKED
FOR, YOU KNOW.
I HADN’T SEEN HIM IN ALMOST
EIGHT WEEKS.
EIGHT WEEKS. I WASN’T EXPECTING ANYTHING, YOU
KNOW.
KNOW. I JUST WANTED TO BE HOME AND BE
WITH HIM.
WITH HIM. I MEAN, THE GOAT ACTUALLY KIND
OF FREAKED ME OUT BECAUSE IT WAS
VERY REALISTIC.
VERY REALISTIC. MY DOG, LUCY, WAS PANICKING.
WHAT IS THIS ANIMAL IN THE
HOUSE?
HOUSE? BUT IT WAS SO SWEET.
YOU KNOW, THAT’S ONE THING THAT
I’M SO GRATEFUL FOR, IS THAT HE
CELEBRATES MY CAREER AS MUCH AS
I DO.
I DO. HE’S SUCH A GREAT ATHLETE
HIMSELF THAT IT MEANS SO MUCH
COMING FROM HIM.
>> YOU GAVE US ALL SO MUCH.
I CAN’T THINK OF HOW MANY HIGHS
WE GOT BECAUSE WE GOT TO WATCH
YOU.
YOU. IN A "WASHINGTON POST" EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL, IT SAID IT BEST.
MANY YEARS FROM NOW, LONG AFTER
THE CHEERING HAS DIED AWAY, THE
MOUNTAINS WILL REMEMBER HER.
I WAS THINKING, HOW DO YOU SAY
GOOD-BYE TO THIS?
>> DON’T MAKE ME CRY.
I’M GOING TO KILL YOU.
OH, MY GOD.
YEAH, IT’S HARD.
IT’S BEEN MY WHOLE LIFE SINCE I
WAS 2 1/2.
YOU KNOW, I HOPE I’VE DONE
SOMETHING IN MY CAREER THAT IS
MORE MEANINGFUL THAN 82 WINS.
I HOPE THAT THE MOUNTAINS
REMEMBER ME.
REMEMBER ME. I DEFINITELY KNOW THE FENCES
WILL.
WILL. BUT IT’S BEEN AN AMAZING RIDE,
AND I COULDN’T BE MORE THANKFUL.
YOU KNOW, I TRULY HAVE LOVED SKI
RACING MY ENTIRE LIFE.
I’VE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO DO IT
FOR SO LONG.
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, MY BODY
GAVE OUT, BUT MY PASSION FOR
SKIING WILL ALWAYS REMAIN.
I CAN’T WAIT TO GO SKIING WITH
MY KIDS ONE DAY.
>> IS THAT -- IS THAT IN THE
NEAR FUTURE?
NEAR FUTURE? IS THAT WHAT YOU’RE TALKING
ABOUT HERE?
ABOUT HERE? >> WE HAVE TO PLAN IT OUT BUT,
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT -- I
MEAN, I’M 34.
YOU KNOW, WE’RE THINKING ABOUT
IT.
IT. >> OKAY.
>> OKAY. I WAS STRUCK BY HOW AFTER BEING
THE MOST DECORATED FEMALE SKIER
OF ALL TIME, WITH 82, YOU WROTE
ON YOUR INSTAGRAM, AND I THOUGHT
IT WAS POINTGNANT.
HONESTLY, RETIRING ISN’T WHAT
UPSETS ME.
UPSETS ME. RETIRING WITHOUT REACHING MY
GOAL IS WHAT WILL STAY WITH ME
FOREVER.
FOREVER. I WAS THINKING TO MYSELF, OH, MY
GOD, THERE WERE SO MANY GOALS.
YOU’VE ALREADY DONE IT.
>> I KNOW.
>> WHAT DID YOU MEAN BY THAT?
>> THAT’S MY NATURE.
I SET HIGH GOALS FOR MYSELF.
ODDLYMANAGED TO REACH
THEM.
THEM. I NEVER EXPECTED TO, BUT I
ALWAYS HOPED TO.
THIS WAS THE ONE RECORD THAT,
YOU KNOW, I HAVE BEEN FOCUSING
ON FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS NOW.
I JUST KEPT GETTING INJURED TOO
MANY TIMES.
MANY TIMES. YOU KNOW, IT WASN’T MY WILL OR
DETERMINATION THAT ALLOWED ME TO
NOT WIN, IT WAS MY BODY.
I CAN’T CHANGE THAT.
IT STILL IS SOMETHING I THINK
I’LL ALWAYS BE DISAPPOINTED
WITH.
WITH. >> WELL, IT’S FUNNY BECAUSE I
CAN’T WAIT TO SEE WHAT’S NEXT
FOR YOU.
FOR YOU. I WAS THINKING, IF YOU PUT THAT
GRIT AND DETERMINATION INTO
SKIING, WHAT’S NEXT?
I SAW YOU WENT TO HARVARD
BUSINESS SCHOOL FOR FOUR DAYS,
YOU’RE DOING THIS.
WHAT DO YOU SEE YOURSELF DOING
PROFESSIONALLY DOWN THE ROAD?
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?
>> A LOT OF THINGS.
I’M THANKFUL I HAVE A LOT TO
LOOK FORWARD TO, AND I’LL WORK
HARD AT EVERYTHING.
I’M LUCKY I HAVE GREAT SPONSORS.
CHASE INC. IS GOING TO HELP ME
START MY OWN BUSINESS.
>> WHAT BUSINESS?
>> A BUTTETY BEAUTY BUSINESS.
>> THAT’S EXCITING.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. DWAYNE JOHNSON HAS BEEN A REALLY
GOOD MENTOR TO ME.
WE HAVE SOME PROJECTS COMING UP.
I HAVE A JOB AS AN EXECUTIVE
PRODUCER OF AN UPCOMING FILM.
THERE’S A LOT OF THINGS IN THE
WORKS.
WORKS. >> A LOT GOING ON.
>> STILL THE DAY-TO-DAY LIFE IS
WEIRD, YOU NOY.KNOW.
I STILL DON’T HAVE A REGIMENED
PROGRAM.
PROGRAM. >> YOUR ROUTINE.
>> I’M TRYING TO MAP THINGS OUT.
I’M A PLANNER, SO I HAVE TO GET
MY PLAN IN ORDER.
>> WE HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE
OLYMPICS, MAYBE COMMENTATING.
WHO KNOWS?
WHO KNOWS? CAN WE JUST SAY THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, HODA.
>> YOU GAVE US TO MANY --
>> YOU ALL HAVE BEEN SO NICE TO
ME OVER THE YEARS.
I FEEL YOU’RE MY FAMILY.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. >> I’M GOING TO GIVE YOU A HUG
RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT NOW. I’M GOING TO DO IT RIGHT NOW.
>> DON’T MAKE ME CRY.
>> I LOVE YOU, SWEETIE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.