Norwegian skier Aleksander Aamodt Kilde has returned to hospital six months after being injured in a “brutal” crash.
Kilde, 31 — who is the fiancé of fellow professional skier Mikaela Shiffrin — was competing in a World Cup downhill race in Wengen, Switzerland on Jan. 13 when he fell near the bottom of the run and crashed into the sideline.
The Norwegian Alpine Team’s Instagram page confirmed at the time that Kilde’s injuries included a dislocated shoulder and a cut in his calf, and he’d been taken to the hospital in Bern. He was airlifted from the scene via a medical helicopter.
On Tuesday, July 30, Kilde shared an update on his recovery that he admitted he couldn’t have imagined posting on Instagram “even just four days ago.”
“Been struggling with some increased pain in my repaired shoulder over the last couple weeks which really seemed like a normal reaction after increasing load and training more ‘normal,’ ” the athlete shared alongside a carousel of photos taken in the hospital, including some featuring his fiancée Shiffrin, 29.
“Long story short – I got an angry infection that has caused some damage, which is quite a setback in my shoulder rehab. This means 6 weeks of IV antibiotics everyday through a PICC line that lives in my arm until the infection is all gone and the bone is back smiling. After those 6 weeks we’ll see what the next steps will be,” Kilde added.
“That’s that, quite a bummer, but we keep fighting. Stay tuned✌🏻,” he insisted. “I am so lucky and grateful to be surrounded by incredible, caring, brilliant people both at home and away. The team at Steadman has taken such good care of me. THANK YOU!!” Kilde concluded, suggesting he was being treated at the Vail, Colorado location, where his partner is from.
Among Kilde’s snaps, he shared a video of his recovery showing Shiffrin asking what food he wanted next after eating some ice cream. He also showed followers the stunning view outside his hospital room.
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A further shot showed him smiling seemingly ready to go into surgery while wearing a blue hat and gown, and another showed him and Shiffrin, who started dating in early 2021 before announcing their engagement in April, holding hands while watching something on a laptop.
Shiffrin also posted two snaps from the hospital on Instagram; one showing the couple smiling for a selfie amid Kilde’s recovery, and another showing him smiling in bed while holding up a water bottle.
“Out of the many lessons I learn from you, one of the greatest is— Smile. Even through the s—. ❤️🥹🥴I love you @akilde . Forward❤️,” Shiffrin wrote.
Kilde previously admitted skiing can “be brutal,” but he loves it. “Thank you so much for all of the messages. I’m grateful for all the words of love and support. This sport can be brutal, but I still love it. 🙏🏻,” he captioned an Instagram post on Jan. 14, the day after his accident.
