Lindsey Vonn mourned the death of her former coach, Erich Sailor, who passed at 99 after shaping the careers of thousands of skiers and building Olympians. Sailor had also trained Vonn's father, Alan Kildow, and coached the 82-time World Cup titlist in her youth when she joined the Buck Hill Team. Lindsey Vonn, who rose to fame in the mid-2000s, began earning World Cup podiums early in her career. She made her first Olympic appearance in 2002 and then again in 2006, not medaling in either but receiving the Olympic Spirit Award in 2006 for her resilience. She continued her success in the following years, becoming the first U.S. woman to win downhill gold at the 2010 Games, all made possible by the strong foundation laid by Sailer.As per Buck Hill Ski and Snowboard Area in Minnesota, Erich Sailor passed at 99 due to a brain bleed, though his health had started declining in recent weeks. The sad news prompted Lindsey Vonn to pen a heartfelt message in honor of the coach who had known her since birth. "Yesterday my coach passed away. It’s hard to put into words how much of an Impact Erich Sailer had on my life but I will try… Erich was more than my ski coach. More than my father’s ski coach. Erich was my family. My father has known him for 62 years and he has been a part of my life since I was born. There is no doubt that I would not be the person or skier I am today without him. The entire ski racing community would not be the same without him. He single handedly did more for skiing than any other coach in America and perhaps the world. Even from the small but mighty Buck Hill, Minnesota-which he put on the map as a premier racing program.""I’m so thankful I got to see you this summer. Thankful to hear that belief in me one last time. I will use that when I’m in the starting gate this last season but also for the rest of my life. I will never forget you. Never." View this post on Instagram Instagram PostShe also promised to pay tribute to him through her races as she heads to her final season. Lindsey Vonn remembered her loved ones whom she lost in the past yearsVonn at the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup - Women's Super G - (Source: Getty)Lindsey Vonn lost her grandfather in 2018 and her mother, Linda Krohn, who succumbed to ALS in 2022. Recently, she bid goodbye to her beloved dog, Lucy, who has been her companion for most of her career. In an Instagram story on August 21, 2025, she shared a picture of herself in a racing helmet that featured the initials of the close one she lost in the past years. "When I retired in 2019 there was only one name on my helmet....My angel army has grown," she captioned with a broken red heart. Vonn confirmed that she will finally hang up her skis after the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina.