Olympic Gymnast Mary Lou Retton ‘Fighting for Her Life’ With ‘Rare Form’ of Pneumonia, Daughter Says

Mary Lou Retton, the iconic Olympic gold medalist and celebrated gymnast, is facing serious health struggles, according to her daughter, McKenna Kelley.

Kelley took to her Instagram story on Tuesday to share the news that her 55-year-old mother is gravely ill, and needs help paying for medical expenses as she does not have health insurance.

Sharing a link to a SpotFund campaign, where fans could donate to help the celebrated gymnast, Kelley wrote, “On behalf of my sisters and I, we need y’all’s help.”

“My amazing mom, Mary Lou, has a very rare form of pneumonia and is fighting for her life,” she shared. “She is not able to breathe on her own. 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. However, I will disclose that she is not insured.”

“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,” Kelley concluded. “ANYTHING, absolutely anything, would be so helpful for my family and my mom. Thank y’all so very much!”

The fundraising goal is set at $50,000 and had over 70 contributors as of Tuesday afternoon.

Retton was one of the most iconic athletes in the country after she took home the gold medal in the individual all-around gymnastics competition at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. That same year, she also earned two silver medals and two bronze medals, all at the age of 16.

She retired from professional gymnastics in 1986. She was later inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997 and earned the honor of being the first female athlete to be inducted into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame in 2020.

After retiring from competitive sports, she went on to appear on several shows and in films — often playing herself — and competed on Dancing With the Stars in 2018.

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