Daughter asks for prayers and donations
McKenna Kelley, the daughter of retired Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Mary Lou Retton, revealed on Instagram that her mother is “fighting for her life” in a hospital intensive care unit. Kelley said Retton has been diagnosed with a rare form of pneumonia and is unable to breathe on her own. She asked for prayers and donations to help cover her mother’s medical bills.
Kelley shared a photo of her mother smiling in a hospital bed, wearing an oxygen mask and holding a thumbs up. She wrote in the caption: “Please pray for my mom. She is fighting for her life right now. She has a very rare form of pneumonia and is in the ICU. She is not able to breathe on her own and needs your prayers. She is the strongest woman I know and I love her so much.”
Kelley also posted a link to a fundraising page on Spotfund, a platform that allows people to raise money for personal causes. According to the page, Retton has been in the ICU for over a week and has no insurance. The page has raised over $50,000 as of Wednesday morning, with donations from hundreds of supporters.
Retton made history at the 1984 Olympics
Retton, 55, is one of the most iconic and beloved athletes in US history. She became the first American woman to win the Olympic gold medal in the individual all-around gymnastics competition at the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles. She also won two silver medals and two bronze medals, making her the most decorated athlete of those Olympics.
Retton’s performance was especially remarkable because she had undergone arthroscopic surgery on her knee just six weeks before the Games. She scored perfect 10s on the vault and floor exercise, edging out Romania’s Ecaterina Szabo by 0.05 points. Her victory made her an instant star and a symbol of American excellence and patriotism.
Retton retired from competitive gymnastics in 1986, but remained active in the sport as a coach, commentator, and ambassador. She was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997 and the US Olympic Hall of Fame in 2004. She also appeared on various TV shows, commercials, and magazines, including Sports Illustrated, Time, and People.
Retton has faced health challenges in recent years
Retton has been open about her health struggles in recent years. She revealed in 2018 that she had divorced her husband of 27 years, Shannon Kelley, and that she had suffered from depression and anxiety. She also said that she had hip replacement surgery on both hips due to a congenital condition called hip dysplasia, which causes abnormal development of the hip joint.
Retton also disclosed that she had an overactive bladder (OAB), which is a condition that causes frequent and urgent urination. She said that she sought treatment for OAB and became a spokesperson for a national educational program that encourages people with OAB to seek help from their doctors.
Retton’s fans and friends have expressed their support and well-wishes for her recovery on social media. Among them are fellow Olympic gymnasts Simone Biles, Nastia Liukin, Aly Raisman, Shawn Johnson, and Dominique Dawes.
