Olympic Gymnast Mary Lou Retton battles rare pneumonia, daughter seeks support

Mary Lou Retton, the celebrated U.S. gymnastics icon, is currently grappling with a severe health crisis as she confronts a rare form of pneumonia. Having spent over a week in an intensive care unit, she is struggling to breathe independently. Her daughter, McKenna Kelley, has made a heartfelt appeal for prayers and financial assistance to cover her mother's hospital bills, highlighting the fact that Retton lacks insurance.

At 55 years old, Mary Lou Retton etched her name in history as the first American woman to claim the all-around gold medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Her incredible performance, which included a perfect 10 on the vault, narrowly bested Romania's Ecaterina Szabo. During those same Games, she also secured two silver medals in the team and vault events, in addition to two bronze medals in the uneven bars and floor exercise, all while she was still a high school student.

Retton's Olympic triumph catapulted her to stardom, earning her the title of "Sportswoman of the Year" from Sports Illustrated magazine and gracing the covers of Wheaties cereal boxes in recognition of her achievements.


In addition to her Olympic accolades, Mary Lou Retton triumphed in the American Cup all-around competitions in 1983, 1984, and 1985 before retiring from gymnastics in 1986. She later made cameo appearances in films, including the 1988 comedy "Scrooged." Her enduring legacy was affirmed in 1997 when she was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.

On Instagram, McKenna Kelley, her daughter, provided an update on her mother's condition, stating that Retton is "fighting for her life" and is afflicted by a very rare form of pneumonia. She revealed that Retton is unable to breathe unaided. In response to mounting medical bills, Kelley initiated a fundraising campaign on Spotfund, appealing for support from well-wishers.

Spotfund has verified the legitimacy of the fundraiser, and CNN has reached out to Kelley and USA Gymnastics for additional information.

Mary Lou Retton's name became synonymous with the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, where she outshone all other athletes by securing five medals. Her iconic status was solidified when she achieved perfect scores on the vault and floor routine, thereby becoming the first American woman to clinch Olympic gold in the individual all-around event.

In a final honor for her remarkable contributions to the sport, Mary Lou Retton was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997.