MORGANTOWN, West Virginia — Earlier in the week, it was revealed that West Virginia native and Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton was “fighting for her life” in the ICU with a very rare form of pneumonia. Her daughters reached out online for help after it was discovered that Retton did not have health insurance. The goal was to raise $50,000 and they have now already raised over $500,000.
Today, her daughter gave a very uplighting update on the status of her mother: “UPDATE! We’re thrilled to share some uplifting news. Mom’s progress is truly remarkable. Prayers have been felt and are being answered. Although she remains in ICU, her path to recovery is steadily progressing. Her fighting spirit is turly shining! Her breathing is becoming stronger, and her reliance on machines is diminishing. Though it’s a lenghty journey, witnessing these improvements in incredibly heartening! She’s beginning to respond to treatments. Once more, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for your overwhelming love and support.”
Retton, 55, was born and raised in Fairmont, West Virginia, and won the Gold Medal in the All-Around in 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, California when she received two perfect 10 scores in the floor and vault categories just weeks after receiving an operation on her knee.
According to her Wikipedia page, “Retton’s hometown, Fairmont, West Virginia, named a road and a park in the town after her. Having retired from gymnastics after winning an unprecedented third American Cup title in 1985, she later had cameo appearances as herself in Scrooged and Naked Gun 33+1/3: The Final Insult.
In 1985, she received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement presented by Awards Council member General Chuck Yeager. Retton was elected to the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in 1992. In 1993, the Associated Press released results of a sports study in which Retton was statistically tied for first place with fellow Olympian Dorothy Hamill as the most popular athlete in America. In 1997, Retton was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. In January 2020, Retton was the first woman inducted into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame.”
Please say a prayer for Mary Lou, one of the most beloved West Virginians and Olympic athletes of all time, and stay tuned to The Voice of Morgantown for more updates as they become available.
Huge update for Mary Lou Retton fans from her daughter! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/zFD0K0VOJ0
— The Voice of Morgantown (@voicemorgantown) October 14, 2023
