Lindsey Vonn (Getty Images)
A bright, shining life on the surface, troubles underneath: it's a familiar story, and it's one Olympian Lindsey Vonn knows well. Vonn, one of the world's best-known and most decorated skiiers, has come clean to People magazine about her battle with depression.
Vonn told People that she has suffered from depression for years, and treats her symptoms with medication. "Everything about my life seemed so perfect to people," she told the magazine. "But I struggle like everyone else."
Vonn's difficulties hit bottom in 2008, when "I couldn't get out of bed anymore," she recalled. "I felt hopeless, empty, like a zombie." But she bounced back, and would go on to win gold medals in both the Olympics and the World Championships, as well as World Cup wins.
Recently, she suffered a severe health scare, but recovered to win her 57th World Cup race earlier this month. "All the parts of my life are finally in sync," she told People. "I accept who I am, and I'm moving forward."
The interview with Vonn is in the issue of People going on sale this Friday.