Mary Lou Retton recovering from well being scare

CHARLESTON — Olympic gymnast and native West Virginian Mary Lou Retton, now house after a scary well being battle, is publicly thanking individuals for his or her concern and help.

“I’m overwhelmed with all of the love and help from the world as I battle. I’m eternally grateful to you all!” Retton wrote Monday on her social media Instagram web page.

“I’m with household persevering with to slowly get well and staying very constructive as I do know this restoration is a protracted and gradual course of.”

Retton’s daughters revealed Oct. 10 that she was in an intensive care unit with a uncommon type of pneumonia and “combating for her life. She shouldn’t be in a position to breathe on her personal.”

Since then, the household — together with daughters Skyla and Emma — has posted further updates to point Retton’s situation is enhancing.

Retton’s put up Monday requested for privateness, however stated she would describe extra about her well being sooner or later.

“When the time is true, I will likely be sharing extra details about my well being points and hope I will help others who might face the identical battle as me,” she wrote.

Retton, 55, is a local of Fairmont, Marion County. She made historical past as the primary American lady to win the all-around gold medal in Olympic gymnastics.

Her gold medal heroics within the particular person all-around competitors throughout the 1984 Summer season Olympics in Los Angeles have been punctuated with an ideal 10 on vault. She additionally took two silver medals and two bronze medals, making her the only largest American winner.

Satisfaction in Retton’s achievements continues to run deep in West Virginia. Mary Lou Retton Drive and Mary Lou Retton Youth Park every carry her title.

Her father, Ronnie Retton, was captain of the 1958-59 WVU basketball staff that misplaced the nationwide championship by one level. Ronnie Retton, who owned an organization that repaired coal mining cable, died in 2021.

Retton moved again to Fairmont in 2009 when her then husband, Shannon Kelly, was employed as director of the Fairmont State Athletic Affiliation, the fundraising unit of the college’s athletic division. The household moved again to Houston in 2012. They’ve 4 daughters, together with McKenna, who’s a retired collegiate gymnast. Retton and Kelly divorced in 2018.

Retton has been inducted into the Worldwide Gymnastics Corridor of Fame.