Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton’s daughter, Shayla Schrepfer, said her mother suffered a “scary setback” and remains in the intensive care unit dealing with a rare form of pneumonia.
“Basically at the beginning of this week we were going on the up and up,” Schrepfer said in an update on Instagram on Wednesday. “We were so excited, seeing so much progress and then yesterday we had a pretty scary setback.”
“She is still in ICU and we’re just working through some things as far as her setback goes,” she added. “So I just wanted to give an update there.”
“She had a better day today, which is great,” Retton’s daughter continued. “She is just really exhausted.”
Schrepfer ended her message with a thank you to everyone for their support.
“I’m getting so many messages and emails and just, it’s so great to see people love on her, so, that’s it.”
The update followed a statement she released five days earlier, saying the former Olympic gymnast was “getting stronger.”
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“Mom’s progress is truly remarkable,” the message on social media read. “Prayers have been felt and have been answered. Although she remains in the ICU, her path to recovery is steadily unfolding. Her fighting spirit is truly shining.”
“Her breathing is becoming stronger and her reliance on machines is diminishing,” it added.
Retton’s other daughter, McKenna Kelley, first alerted the public that their mom was in the ICU “fighting for her life” and asked for help to cover hospital bills because she doesn’t have health insurance.
The fundraiser on SpotFund has collected more than $455,000 in donations at the time of this publication, well surpassing its $50,000 goal.
In 1984, Retton made history at the Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles when she became the first American woman to win an individual all-around gold medal, People magazine noted. Her victory led to her being named “Sportswoman of the Year” by Sports Illustrated magazine, and she also famously appeared on the Wheaties box.