Former Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton remains hospitalized but is improving steadily and responding to treatment, her daughter said in a statement Saturday.
McKenna Kelley revealed Tuesday that her mother had been receiving treatment in the intensive care unit for over a week due to a rare form of pneumonia, adding that Retton was not able to breathe on her own.
The daughter had said that Retton was “fighting for her life.” But now, the 55-year-old appears to be making “remarkable” progress, according to a Saturday update on Kelley’s Instagram page. In her post, Kelley noted that Retton is still in the ICU, but that her “path to recovery is steadily progressing.”
“Her breathing is becoming stronger, and her reliance on machines is diminishing,” she wrote.
“Though it’s a lengthy journey, witnessing these improvements is incredibly heartening! She’s beginning to respond to treatments.”
Retton became the first American woman to win an individual all-around Olympic gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics, and she ended the summer with four additional medals.
On a Spotfund page to help pay for Retton’s hospital bills, Kelley said that her mother was uninsured. Fans and supporters rushed to Retton’s aid, and the family’s $50,000 fundraising goal was quickly surpassed.
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