Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton’s daughter, McKenna Kelley, revealed that her mom is “fighting for her life” amid a battle with pneumonia — and doesn’t currently have health insurance.
The daughter of the famous 55-year-old gymnast said on behalf of her and her sisters they need prayers and help because her mom is currently in an Intensive Care Unit [ICU] where she’s been dealing with a “rare form of pneumonia” — and they don’t have the financial means to cover the hospital costs.
“My amazing mom, Mary Lou, has a very rare form of pneumonia and is fighting for her life,” the message read on a crowdfunding site called SpotFund.
“She is not able to breathe on her own,” she added. “She’s been in the ICU for over a week now. Out of respect for her and her privacy, I will not disclose all details.”
U.S. gymnastics legend Mary Lou Retton, the first American woman to win the all-around gold medal at the 1984 Olympics, is now fighting for her life against a rare form of pneumonia, her family says. @kristendahlgren reports and @drtaranarula shares medical insight. pic.twitter.com/ousA8QGs7r
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) October 11, 2023
“However, I will disclose that she not insured,” the message continued. “We ask that if you could help in any way, that 1) you PRAY! and 2) if you could help us with finances for the hospital bill. ANYTHING, absolutely anything, would be so helpful for my family and my mom. Thank y’all so very much!”
The fundraiser was set with a goal of $50,000 and has already well surpassed that, with the fundraiser at $272,431 at the time of this publication. More than 4,000 donors have given to the fund for the Olympic-winning gymnast who stole America’s heart in the 1980s.
In 1984, Mary Lou 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 stunning victory lead to her landing the title of Sports Illustrated’s “Sportswoman of the Year,” and she also famously appeared on the Wheaties box.
Before Retton retired in 1986, she won the American Cup all-around competition for the third time in 1985, the outlet noted. And she was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997.
Retton and her ex-husband Shannon Kelley share four daughters together, McKenna, Shayla, Skyla, and Emma. McKenna ended up following in her mom’s footsteps and competed at Louisiana State University as a gymnast.