Mary Lou Retton reveals she was almost put on life support and insists she is 'blessed to be here' -
US gymnastics legend Mary Lou Retton has claimed she is grateful to be alive following terrifying battle with a rare form of pneumonia.
The Olympic gold medalist, 55, was taken into intensive care in a Texas hospital in October 2023.
Her daughter, McKenna Kelley, said then that the first American woman to win the Olympic all-around title in 1984 was ‘fighting for her life’ and unable to breathe on her own.
The gold medalist has now opened up on the harrowing experience for the first time in an interview with the Today Show’s Hoda Kotb.
‘I’m very private and to come out and talk about it — usually my interviews are “Oh yes, it felt great to win the Olympics!” This is serious and this is life,’ Retton, sitting next to daughter Shayla Schrepfer at her Texas, home.
US gymnastics legend Mary Lou Retton gave her first interview since being hospitalized
Retton revealed she faced being put on life support as she battled the rare form of pneumonia
She won two Olympic silvers and bronzes that same year in addition to her gold medal
Iconic Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton is on the mend after a life-threatening health scare with a rare form of pneumonia in the fall. Now, with her daughter by her side, Retton sat down exclusively with @HodaKotb, to talk about how she’s recovering. #SundayTODAY pic.twitter.com/KYAkYX6578
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) January 7, 2024
‘I am so grateful to be here. I am blessed to be here, because there was a time when they were about to put me on life support.’
The preview clip was released on ‘Sunday Today’, with the full interview scheduled to air on Monday.
Retton previously thanked fans for their support in a social media post on Thanksgiving and said she was making positive strides in her recovery.
‘As we gather to celebrate this Thanksgiving, my heart is overflowing with profound gratitude,’ she wrote.
‘I want to express how truly blessed and thankful I am to be slowly improving and to be home with my girls, especially after my time in the hospital.
‘Your love has been a beacon of hope in my life. On this day of giving thanks, I am reminded of the preciousness of life, the love that surrounds me, and the resilience of the human spirit.
‘Each one of you has played a significant role in my journey, and for that, I am eternally grateful.’
Retton’s family had set up a spotfund page to help cover the medical bills as she did not have medical insurance, her daughter Kelley explained.
Retton captured five medals (one gold, two silver, two bronze) at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. She made history by becoming the first American woman to win gold in the individual all-around competition.
Retton spoke to the Today Show’s Hoda Kotb with daughter Shayla Schrepfer at her home
The 55-year-old’s family set up a spotfund page to help cover the medical bills
She made history as the first American woman to win gold in the individual all-around event
Following her retirement, she was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997.
Three years ago she became the first woman to be selected into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame.
Retton, who once made a cameo in ‘Baywatch’ along with other movies and TV shows, even has a road and park named in her honor back in her hometown of Fairmont West Virginia.
She also served on the President’s Council for Physical Fitness and Sports under former President George W. Bush.
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