Callum Jones
Former Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton is said to be 'fighting for her life' in an intensive care unit battling a rare form of pneumonia.
The 55-year-old US-born is one of the greatest gymnasts to have ever come out of the Olympics, winning gold in the individual all-around competition at the 1984 games in Los Angeles.
She also won two silver medals and two bronze medals to add to her huge trophy cabinet, something that made her one of the most popular athletes in the whole of the US.
1984 also saw Retton win Sportsperson of the Year by Sports Illustrated, an indication of the truly amazing summer she had.
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The latest developments have come as a huge shock to all of the Olympian's fans across the globe, with Retton said to be 'fighting for her life'.
According to a spotfund account set up by her daughter, McKenna Kelley, Retton is battling a rare form of pneumonia and has been in ICU for 'over a week'.
The devastated daughter went on to say that her mum has not been able to 'breathe on her own', though she did not provide any many further details out of respect for her mother's privacy.
The post on spotfund read: "Hey everyone! On behalf of my sisters and I, we need y’all’s help.
"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.
"We ask that if you could help in any way, that 1) you PRAY! and 2) if you could help us with finances for the hospital bill.
"ANYTHING, absolutely anything, would be so helpful for my family and my mom. Thank y’all so very much!"
Following her success on the world stage, Retton was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997.
She made history in 2020 when she became the first woman to be inducted into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame.
The inductions did not stop there though, as Retton was also inducted into the National Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.
But perhaps how much she is loved is evident in her hometown of Fairmont, West Virginia, where Retton has a street and a park named after her.