Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton is “combating for her life” within the hospital with pneumonia.
The gold medalist’s daughter, McKenna Lane Kelley, took to social media on Tuesday, October 10, to verify that her mom had been hospitalized attributable to issues from the sickness. Kelley, who was a gymnast at Louisiana State College herself, additionally posted a hyperlink to a SpotFund through her Instagram Story. So far, the fundraiser has surpassed its $50,000 objective.
“My wonderful mother, Mary Lou, has a really uncommon type of pneumonia and is combating for her life,” she wrote on the web page. “She will not be in a position to breathe on her personal. She’s been within the ICU for over per week now. Out of respect for her and her privateness, I cannot disclose all particulars. Nevertheless, I’ll disclose that she will not be insured.”
She continued: “We ask that should you might assist in any approach, that 1) you PRAY! and a couple of) should you might assist us with funds for the hospital invoice. ANYTHING, completely something, can be so useful for my household and my mother. Thank y’all so very a lot!”
There have been no additional specifics about Retton’s, 55, situation nor what hospital she is at.
Whereas competing on the 1984 Summer time Olympics in Los Angeles, California, Retton received a gold medal for the all-around. She was five-hundredths of some extent behind Romania’s Ecaterina Szabo heading into the ultimate rotation of the competitors, and he or she might solely beat her with an ideal 10 — which she scored.
Retton was the primary American girl to win gold at that occasion — and he or she held that title till Carly Patterson turned the second girl to attain this in 2004.
She additionally went on to take house two silver medals for crew and vault and two bronze medals for uneven bars and flooring workout routines. Afterwards, she was featured in Sports activities Illustrated’s 1984 “Sportswoman of the 12 months” and on the quilt of the Wheaties field.
The next 12 months, she received the American Cup all-around competitors for the third time. She went on to retire in 1986 and was inducted into the Worldwide Gymnastics Corridor of Fame in 1997.
Exterior of the gymnasium, Retton went on to compete on season 27 of Dancing with the Stars, the place she was partnered with Sasha Farber. The pair in the end had been despatched house through the present’s sixth week. She additionally made appearances in each movies and TV reveals together with Glee, Scrooged, Baywatch and Knot’s Touchdown.
She shares 4 daughters with ex-husband Shannon Kelley: Shayla, Skyla, Emma and McKenna.