Legendary Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton, 55, has been in the intensive care unit for over a week, according to her daughter McKenna Lane Kelley.
Kelley revealed that her mother is battling a rare form of pneumonia on SpotFund, an online fundraising site.
“My amazing mom, Mary Lou, has a very rare form of pneumonia and is fighting for her life,” she wrote. “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.”
To date, Retton’s SpotFund campaign has raised more than $150,000, far surpassing its 50,000 goal.
Retton is mostly known for her run in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. That summer, she won five medals, including two bronze and two silver medals. She became the first American-born woman to win gold in the all-around competition.
After her performance in the Olympics, Retton became a household name, appearing on Wheaties boxes and being named Sports Illustrated’s “Sportswoman of the Year.” She entered the realm of pop culture with her cameos in “Bay Watch,” the “Naked Gun” threequel and “Glee” among others.
In 1985, Retton won the American Cup all-around for the third and final time. After retiring from gymnastics in 1986, she returned to broadcast the Seoul games for NBC in 1988.
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Manuel Gomez may be reached at [email protected].