Fans are praying for American legend Mary Lou Retton following the revelation of a worrying health issue.
The former star gymnast is said to be “fighting for her life” in a Texas hospital, with her daughter McKenna Kelley sharing as much on social media this week, also revealing the 55-year-old has a rare form of pneumonia and “is not able to breathe on her own.”
Mary Lou has been in intensive care for over a week, while her daughter has started raising funds in order to help cover her medical bills. McKenna also revealed her mom does not have health insurance.
The news came as a shock to fans this week and many of them are offering support on social media. You can see some of the reactions right below:
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Retton rose to stardom at the age of just 16, having become the first American to win a gymnastics gold medal by scoring two perfect 10s to win gold in the individual all-around competition at the 1984 Summer Olympics. She also won two silvers and two bronzes.
“After Mary Lou, we had to create a new type of gymnast who could impress with her sturdiness, energy and the physicality of her performance,” Bela Karolyi, Retton’s former coach, told ESPN in 2012.
We at TotalProSports would like to wish Mary Lou Retton a speedy recovery in the hope she’s able to overcome this trying ordeal.
