Mary Lou Retton Says She Is “Blessed” In First Public Statement On Pneumonia Battle
The gymnastics great is “continuing to slowly recover” after being released from the hospital last week.
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After a long “scary” battle with pneumonia, Mary Lou Retton has commented publicly on her health troubles for the first time.
A week following her release from the Texas hospital where she spent the better part of a month being treated for a “very rare form of pneumonia,” the legendary Olympic gymnast shared an optimistic update on her condition Monday.
“I’m beyond blessed to have the opportunity to make this statement,” Retton wrote in a message shared to her personal Instagram account.
“I am overwhelmed with the love and support from the world as I fight,” she continued. “I am forever grateful to you all! I’m with family continuing to slowly recover and staying very positive as I know this recovery is a long and slow process.”
Prior to yesterday’s Instagram post, updates on Retton’s condition were being provided by her daughters, who revealed via social media that their 55-year-old mom was “fighting for her life” in the ICU earlier this month.
"It’s gonna be a day by day process, and we hope that you guys will respect her boundaries because we want to keep the details between her and our family right now,” Shayla Kelley Schrepfer, Retton’s eldest daughter, said in an October 18 video update.
Details on the beloved athlete’s pneumonia battle remain slim, but Retton promised to share information “when the time is right.”
"I appreciate everyone's respect of my privacy at this time,” she wrote in Monday’s statement. “When the time is right, I will be sharing more information about my health issues and hope I can help others who may face the same battle as me. I love you all.”
Born in Fairmont, West Virginia, Retton was just 16 years old when she became the first American woman to win the all-around title at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. A Houston resident since the 80s, Retton shares daughters Shayla, McKenna, Skyla, and Emma with her ex-husband, retired Texas Longhorns quarterback Shannon Kelley.
The family has asked for continued prayers for Retton’s recovery.
This is a developing story.
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