Five-time medalist at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics: Mary Lou Retton fights for her life and receives incredible love and immense financial support

Five-time gymnastics medalist at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, American Mary Lou Retton, is receiving an incredible outpouring of love as she fights for her life in the intensive care unit of a Texas hospital.

On Tuesday, his daughter McKenna Kelley unleashed a cry from the bottom of her heart on her Instagram account. “My incredible mother, Mary Lou, has a very rare form of leukemia and is fighting for her life. She is unable to breathe on her own. Out of respect for her privacy, I won’t reveal all the details, but I can mention that she is not insured. Our family would greatly appreciate your prayers and any help.”

The family of America’s first Olympic gold medalist in all disciplines launched a very successful fundraising campaign. The family originally aimed for a goal of $50,000, but the response completely exceeded their expectations. At the time of writing, the amount raised from 6,367 donors was $357,789.

“During these difficult times, it means everything to see that there are so many people who love and support our mother,” wrote her eldest daughter Kelley Schrepfer. We didn’t know that there were so many people who loved our mother as much as we did. Mom is being treated by the best specialists and continues to fight every day.

After her success at the 1984 Games, where she won one gold, two silver and two bronze medals, including a perfect score of 10 on balance beam and floor exercise, Retton became an icon in the United States. United States. She has appeared in several films and made numerous television appearances, including Dancing with the Stars. She was the first gymnast to have her photo adorned on a cereal box.

Retired since 1986 and at the age of 55, she was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997.