Update: Mary Lou Retton Is Steadily Recovering From Pneumonia

PublishedOctober 14, 2023 4:12 PM EDT|UpdatedOctober 14, 2023 4:12 PM EDT

Mary Lou Retton’s health is increasing rapidly, according to an update provided by her daughter, McKenna Lan Kelley.

Retton was the first American to win an individual all-round gold medal at the Summer Olympics in 1984. However, Retton's situation was dire, and just two days ago, the sickness almost took her life.

“My amazing mom, Mary Lou, has a very rare form of pneumonia and is fighting for her life,” Kelley said on Thursday. “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.”

Thankfully, Retton can now breathe without help and is making rapid improvements, according to an Instagram post from Kelley.

"Mom's progress is truly remarkable," Kelley said. "Although she remains in ICU, her path to recovery is steadily progressing. Her breathing is becoming stronger, and her reliance on machines is diminishing."

Mary Lou Retton's Health Scare Not Common In Adults Her Age

According to Dr. Carrie Horn, the chief medical officer at National Jewish Health in Denver, pneumonia often does not get serious enough to threaten someone’s life.

“Severe pneumonia—meaning that someone is sick enough to need oxygen, be admitted to the hospital, or potentially die from the infection—is relatively rare in healthy people in their midlife age range,” Horn said.

Retton is 55-years-old and relatively healthy, which is why it’s so surprising her sickness became this serious. Thankfully, all signs seem to indicate that one of the icons of American women’s sports is on the mend.

Retton’s legacy in American Olympic history will be remembered forever. In addition to winning gold in 1984 as a 16-year old, she won four more Olympic golds in her career.

Here is her highlight reel of her medal-winning routine in the 1984 games:

While she isn’t fully in the clear yet, it’s great to hear that she’s no longer in danger of losing her life. Hopefully, Retton will be back to normal in short order.