Legendary American gymnast Mary Lou Retton, the first female gymnast from the USA to win Olympic gold, has reportedly been hospitalized in intensive care and is fighting for her life against a “very rare form of pneumonia” according to concerning updates from her daughters this week.
On Tuesday, Retton’s daughter McKenna Kelley shared a worrying update about her mother’s health on a crowd-funding page, saying the 55-year-old Olympic icon is in the ICU, unable to breathe on her own and battling a rare pneumonia. Kelley characterized Retton’s condition as “critical” and made an appeal for financial help to cover expensive hospital bills, stating that Retton does not have medical insurance. Additionally, you can also read about- Cricket World Cup 2023: Can the Sport Finally Reach Its Full Potential?
Dominant American Gymnast Made History at 1984 Olympics
The legendary gymnast remains best known for her historic and perfect 10 performance in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, where she became the first American woman to win the prestigious Olympic gold medal in the gymnastics individual all-around event. Retton took home an impressive 5 medals that summer, also winning silver in the team event and vault, along with bronze medals on uneven bars and floor exercise. Her performances were credited with boosting gymnastics popularity and participation in the United States.
Since Retiring, Retton Has Faced Controversy in Abuse Scandal Fallout
After retiring from elite competition, Retton served on the board of USA Gymnastics and faced scrutiny for defending the organization amid the shocking Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal revelations. She joined USA Gymnastics officials in private meetings about abuse prevention policies, at a time when the organization declined to testify before the Senate on the Nassar allegations. If you want you can also read- The Top 10 Players to Watch at the 2023 ICC World Cup
Daughters Follow in Footsteps with NCAA Gymnastics Careers
Retton’s daughters McKenna and Emma Jean have followed in their famous mother’s footsteps competing at the NCAA level in college gymnastics, including McKenna anchoring the floor rotation for LSU at the 2019 NCAA Championships. The family has expressed hopes Retton will recover from this latest health battle. Fans and supporters are urged to keep the trailblazing Olympic champion in their thoughts and prayers. You May Find Interest:Irfan Pathan Predictions in World Cup 2023: Top Batter and Top Bowler
