Former American Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton is on the road to recovery!
The gold-winning athlete has been fighting for his life in the ICU without any health insurance, which quickly gained attention on social media. Luckily, it looks like he’s back home!
Mary Lou Retton Is In ICU Dealing With ‘Extremely Rare Form Of Pneumonia’
McKenna Kelly, Mary Lou Retton’s daughter, took to her Instagram story on Tuesday, October 10, to reveal that her mother is battling “a very rare form of pneumonia” and is “fighting for her life” in the ICU.
He created a Spotfund page to fund his mother’s hospital stay, which received over $50,000 dollars from hundreds of donors. “My incredible mother, Mary Lou, has a very rare form of pneumonia and is fighting for her life,” he wrote in the appeal. “He can’t breathe on his own. He has been in the ICU for over a week. To respect him and his privacy, I will not reveal all the details. However, I will disclose that he is not insured.”
He went on to say, “We ask that if you can help in any way, 1) you PRAY! and 2) if you can help us financially for hospital bills. ANYTHING, anything at all, would greatly help my family and my mom. Thank you very much!”
As of Monday, October 30, he had received $459,324 from 8,319 donors. Many fans donated small amounts, but one anonymous donor gave $200, writing, “Watching you perform and win in the Olympics is a gift! As a young girl, seeing someone so humble and generous when you receive your medal is inspiring. We hold you close in our hearts and prayers.”
Mary Lou Retton Breaks Her Silence About Her Health Scares
On Monday, October 30, Mary Lou Retton took to Instagram to tell her fans that she was grateful for their words of support as she fought for her life in the ICU.
“I am very honored to have the opportunity to make this statement. I am overwhelmed by all the love and support from the world as I struggle. I am forever grateful to all of you!” he wrote. “I along with my family continue to gradually recover and stay positive because I know this recovery is a long and slow process.”
“I appreciate everyone’s respect for my privacy at this time,” he continued. “When the time comes, I will share more information about my health issues and hope that I can help others who are facing the same battle as me. I love you all.”
Retton Is First American To Win All-Around Gold Medal
Mary Lou Retton made history in the world of gymnastics. In 1984, he became the first American to win an individual gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics, hosted in Los Angeles, California. The feat was made even more impressive by the fact that he had undergone knee surgery just weeks before competing.
The star athlete scored a perfect ten on floor and vault and edged Romania’s Ecaterina Szabo by just 0.05 points to claim victory for the US. In addition to her record-breaking gold medal, she also took home silver medals in the vault and team events. She won bronze medals in bars and uneven floor.
She was named Sports Illustrated’s “Sportswoman of the Year” as a result of her accomplishments and was also featured on Wheaties boxes sold at the time. The following year, he won the America’s Cup competition for the first time before he decided to retire in 1986.
Mary Lou Retton was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997 and has a park and street named for her in her hometown of Fairview, West Virginia.
Retton, who is divorced, is also the mother of four daughters: Shayla, Skyla, Emma, and McKenna. McKenna followed in her mother’s footsteps and competed as a gymnast for Louisiana State University.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
