Even Lindsey Vonn loves Punch the monkey and his stuffed sidekick

Count Lindsey Vonn among Punch the monkey's many fans.

Someone sent Vonn a stuffed orange orangutan similar to little Punch's beloved companion while she was hospitalized following a horrific crash during the Olympic downhill. Punch was abandoned after birth, and zookeepers at the Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan gave the macaque the plushy to comfort him.

Images of Punch dragging his stuffed companion have gone viral, endearing him to people all around the world.

"Some of my friends don't know what Punch is, but, I mean, everyone has to know what Punch is," Vonn told USA TODAY Sports on April 7. "Punch is the cutest."

Vonn was speaking to USA TODAY Sports as part of Invivyd's "Antibodies for Any Body" campaign.

The overwhelming support she received after the crash was a bright spot for Vonn, who was hospitalized for about two weeks in Treviso, Italy, and Colorado. Vonn suffered a compound fracture in her left leg in the crash, as well as a plateau tibia fracture and a broken right ankle.

She's had five surgeries so far, including a fasciotomy to save her leg after she developed compartment syndrome.

While friends sent her books and face masks, Vonn also received gifts from fans all over the world. She got cards and flowers while she was in Italy, as well as a giant stuffed teddy bear, an eagle plushy and a stuffed shark.

Vonn was holding the shark as she went in to one of her surgeries, and said it's still in her bed.

"I felt so removed from everything, but I think the support of everyone really made me feel better," Vonn said. "It made me feel supported in a way that I don't think I've ever felt before. A lot of times as an athlete, you get injured and after 24 hours, no one remembers. 'It's an ACL. OK, we'll see you in eight months.'

"But this was different and I just was really thankful for that," Vonn said. "There was so many times that I was struggling, especially being in a hospital away from home, and those messages really, really helped me."

As for Punch, Vonn has continued to follow his story since she returned to the United States, and was happy to hear he might have a girlfriend.

"Always a bright spot," Vonn joked. "If Punch can (find love), I can do it."