Olympic gymnastics champion Mary Lou Retton remained in intensive care on Wednesday while dealing with a rare form of pneumonia.
Retton\u2019s daughters posted a message on Instagram saying their mother \u201ccontinues to fight\u201d and thanked the thousands who have donated money to help take care of Retton\u2019s medical bills.
Shayla Kelley Schrepfer, the oldest of Retton\u2019s four daughters, said in a video update on Instagram that the family was \u201coverwhelmed\u201d by the outpouring of support for Retton, 55.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe didn\u2019t even realize that there are so many people out there that love her just as much as we do,\u201d Schrepfer said. \u201cAnd it\u2019s been a really hard time for our family. And so just seeing that people love her like that and showing her that support has just meant the world to us and to her, so thank you.\u201d
Nearly 5,000 people had donated over $275,000 in the 24 hours since her family launched an online fundraiser on Tuesday. The family said Retton does not have medical insurance and indicated they were asking for donations \u2014 with an initial goal of $50,000 \u2014 to help pay for Retton\u2019s care.
Schrepfer declined to get into specifics about Retton\u2019s situation, saying only that it\u2019s \u201cgoing to be a day-to-day process.\u201d
Retton was 16 years old when the Fairmont, West Virginia, native made history at the Los Angeles Olympics, scoring perfect 10s on floor exercise and vault in the final two rotations to become the first American woman to win the Olympic all-around title.
She ended the Olympics with five medals \u2014 two silvers and two bronzes to go with the all-around gold \u2014 and became a pop culture sensation while earning the nickname \u201cAmerica\u2019s Sweetheart.\u201d Her Olympic success made her the first female athlete to appear on the cover of a Wheaties box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Retton retired from competition in 1986. Her newfound fame made her a household name in the U.S. She made several film and television appearances, including a stint on \u201cDancing with the Stars.\u201d
She and her husband, Shannon Kelley, divorced in 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n