Olympic icon Mary Lou Retton suffered a “scary setback” in her ongoing pneumonia battle and remains in intensive care, the gymnast’s family said Wednesday.
Retton had been “going on the up and up” earlier this week with loved ones “seeing so much progress” as she fights a rare form of pneumonia, daughter Shayla Kelley Schrepfer told Instagram followers.
“But then yesterday we had a pretty scary setback,” Retton’s daughter continued. “She is still in ICU and we’re just working through some things as far as her setback goes.”
The medical ups and downs have understandably taken a toll on the 55-year-old gold medalist.
“She had a better day today, which is great, (she’s) just really, really exhausted,” Schrepfer added. “She is really exhausted.”
Retton is best known for winning the individual all-around gold at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. She also won silver in the vault and team all-around and bronze in the uneven bars and floor exercise.
Her performances captured America’s imagination and cemented her fame as one the nation’s most famous gymnasts. She was the first female athlete depicted on a Wheaties box.
Her family thanked fans for all of their well wishes.
“Thank you guys again for the support,” Schrepfer said. “I’m getting so many messages and emails and it’s so great to see people love on her.”
Retton lives in the Houston area, though the hospital where she’s being treated has not been publicly disclosed.
Despite her status as one of the nation’s most famous former Olympians, Retton doesn’t have health insurance, according to loved ones who have been crowd funding to pay hospital bills.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
