Sports

US Olympic gold winner Mary Lou Retton 'fighting for her life' in ICU

The decorated U.S. Olympian has a "very rare form of pneumonia," according to a social media post from her daughter McKenna Kelley.

Mary Lou Retton arrives at the 71st annual Golden Globe Awards.
(Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
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American Olympic champion gymnast Mary Lou Retton has been admitted into a hospital ICU and is fighting a "very rare form of pneumonia," according to a social media post from her daughter McKenna Kelley. 

Sports journalist Christine Brennan took a screenshot of the Instagram story post from Kelley which has a photo of Retton that says "please consider helping our mom and family out!"

The story now appears to have expired from Kelley's social media page, but she wrote to her followers that she was "working on the link."

Spot Fund page was created to raise money for Retton's medical costs, it appeared. Kelley said she would "not disclosed all details" out of "respect for" Retton's "privacy," but said she was "not able to breathe on her own."

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She asked her followers to help "in any way," with "finances for the hospital bill."

The 55-year-old decorated U.S. Olympian won five medals at the 1984 Olympic Games held in Los Angeles, which was more than any other athlete competing. Her success catapulted her to iconic fame in the sports world and in entertainment. 

After her wins Retton went on to stay active in media and entertainment, appearing in television and film roles. 

Retton was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997 and became the first woman to be placed into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame in 2020. She also served on the President's Council for Physical Fitness and Sports under President George W. Bush.