It is sad to see those who bring honor and pride to a nation suffer from a disease, especially if they catch a rare illness that only gets lethal if not treated at the right time.
The retired gymnast of America, Mary Lou Retton, has been in the news lately, and many speculate that she may be in her final years due to the illness she’s facing. So, did Mary Lou Retton actually die?
The American gymnast Mary Lou Retton, who won a gold medal in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, has not died but is in critical condition in ICU due to pneumonia. Retton’s daughter, McKenna Kelley, shared her mother’s condition on Instagram, stating that she has not been able to breathe on her own, and started a fundraising campaign to cover Retton’s medical expenses.
What Happened to Mary Lou Retton? Is She Dying?
Mary Lou Retton is a treasured gymnast for America because she’s not only one of the most popular athletes in the United States but also imprinted her name in history by winning a gold medal at the Olympics in 1984.
She also became the first American woman to win the all-around gold medal in the gymnastics category of the Olympics. Retton also made some television appearances in popular shows such as Baywatch and Glee.
Unfortunately, the fifty-five-year-old Olympic winner has caught a rare form of pneumonia, which put her in a critical life-and-death situation, fighting for her life in the intensive care unit (ICU).
Retton’s daughter, McKenna Kelly, provided an update on her mother’s health through an Instagram story.
She also added a link to the Spotfund page as a fundraiser to pay her mom’s bills since she has no health insurance, explaining the difficult situation their family is in. In her words,
“My amazing mom, Mary Lou, has a very rare form of pneumonia and is fighting for her life. 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.”
On the Spotfund page, Kelly also asked everyone to pray for her mother’s safety if they cannot contribute financially. The fundraiser has so far garnered over $300,000, with some donating as high as $50,000.
Pneumonia is a common illness that kills more than 50,000 individuals a year and causes many more infections to other unfortunate souls, such as inflammation and fluid build-up in the lungs.
Since it can be caused by many types of viruses and bacteria, the person must be diagnosed before it gets severe and can often lead to death if left unnoticed.
That being said, professionals indicate that different types of pneumonia cause situations to escalate at different speeds. For example, bacterial pneumonia is more lethal and spreads faster compared to viral pneumonia.
As of now, Retton’s family hasn’t disclosed any news besides the Olympic legend being in critical condition, so we can only wait for more updates on her situation.
Hopefully, Retton will fight back with the same willpower she displayed during the 1984 Olympics and battle out the pneumonia.
So, what do you think about Retton’s condition? Are you praying for her safety along with us? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
