After Mary Lou Retton was sent to intensive care last fall due to a rare form of pneumonia, the former Olympian is speaking for the first time about the medical ordeal that left her “fighting for her life.”
In a preview of the upcoming Today show interview with Hod Kotb that was broadcast on Sunday Today with Willie Geist, 55-year-old Mary Lou spoke about her continued recovery. (The entire report is broadcast Today Monday morning.)
First discovering that she was “on oxygen” as she sat next to daughter Shayla Kelley with a ventilator supporting her, Mary Lou then noted that she was “very” in a “vulnerable state,” as suggested by Kotb, 59, explaining, “I’m very private.”
“Usually my interviews are like, ‘Oh yeah, it felt great to win the Olympics,’ you know? This is serious and this is life,” she continued. “I’m so grateful to be here. I’m blessed to be here, because there was a time when they wanted to put me on life support.”
News of Mary Lou’s health battle first broke in October, when her daughter, McKenna Kelley, revealed her mother was in a Houston hospital.
“My amazing mom, Mary Lou, has a very rare form of pneumonia and is fighting for her life,” McKenna, 26, wrote in a message on a Spotfund fundraising page set up for Retton’s medical expenses, while revealing that their mother is “uninsured .”
Mary Lou Retton celebrates first Christmas after health scare with photo of her four daughters
At the time, Mary Lou’s oldest daughter, Shayla, 28, said her family’s priority was “our mom’s well-being” in a statement to PEOPLE.
During her hospital stay, Mary Lou’s family were “thrilled” with the former Olympic champion’s progress. However, Shayla later revealed that the gymnast’s road to health was not so simple.
“We were so excited, we saw so much progress, and then yesterday we had a pretty scary setback. She’s still in intensive care and we’re just working on some things as far as her setback. So I just wanted to give an update on that,” she said. is, just over a week after Mary Lou’s health condition was first discovered.
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After a weeks-long stay, Mary Lou was released from a hospital in Texas, and McKenna shared on Instagram that their mother is “HOME and on the mend.” She added: “We still have a long road to recovery ahead of us, but with small steps.”
About a week later, Mary Lou shared her first official update on her health and ongoing recovery. “I am with my family as they continue to slowly recover and I remain very positive because I know this recovery is a long and slow process,” she posted on Instagram.
While she did not reveal more details about what brought her to the hospital, she said: “When the time is right, I will share more information about my health issues.”
Mary Lou also added that she hopes to one day “help others who may be facing the same battle as me.”
Mary Lou Retton says she is ‘eternally grateful’ in Thanksgiving message after health scare
Since then, Mary Lou has only shared a few updates for the holidays, posting a long heartfelt message on Instagram for Thanksgiving and another for Christmas.
“As we gather to celebrate this Thanksgiving, my heart is filled with deep gratitude. I want to express how truly blessed and grateful I am to be on the mend and to be home with my girls, especially after my time in the hospital,” she said. . he wrote a carousel of photos of her and her family.
Mary Lou continued, “The love and support of my four amazing daughters have been a source of strength and inspiration throughout my journey. Their presence in my life is a testament to the amazing bonds of family.”
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Source: HIS Education