Shayla Schrepfer reflects on the “toughest year” of her life.
Mary Lou Retton’s eldest daughter took to Instagram over the weekend to share her best and worst moments from 2023, just months after her mother was hospitalized with a rare form of pneumonia.
“The highs were SO high, but the lows were the LOWEST lows,” wrote Schrepfer, 28. “I can easily say that 2023 was the hardest year of my life.”
Schepfer and her younger sisters McKenna, Skyla and Emma Kelley rallied around their Olympic gold medalist mother when she spent several weeks in intensive care at a Houston hospital in October, posting frequent social media updates on her condition to Retton’s legion of fans around the world.
Mary Lou Retton celebrates first Christmas after health scare with photo of her four daughters
In Schrepfer’s photomontage, footage from the difficult time includes a photo of family members holding Retton’s hands as she lies in a hospital bed and other images of the group spending time in the legendary former gymnast’s hospital room.
In a statement to PEOPLE in October, Schrepfer said the family’s “number one concern is our mom’s well-being.”
Shayla Kelley Schrepfer/Instagram
“That being said, being with her is our first priority,” the competitive bodybuilder told PEOPLE at the time.
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At the end of October, Retton (55) was discharged from the hospital.
In an Instagram update on her mom’s condition, McKenna shared the good news.
Mary Lou Retton is back from the hospital and ‘on the mend,’ says daughter McKenna
“Mommy is HOME and recovering,” wrote Kelley, 26. “We still have a long road to recovery, but baby steps.”
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Shayla Kelley Schrepfer/Instagram
She continued: “We are overwhelmed by everyone’s love and support. Gratitude does not scratch the surface of our hearts’ holdings.”
McKenna first broke the news that Retton had taken ill earlier that month and sparked an outpouring of support for the beloved retired athlete.
“My amazing mom, Mary Lou, has a very rare form of pneumonia and is fighting for her life,” she wrote in a message on the Spotfund fundraising page for Retton, which has since raised over $459,000 — well over its initial goal of 50,000 dollars.
On Saturday, Shayla took to Instagram to express her gratitude to her mom’s fans and followers. “Thank you to everyone who helped me through such a difficult year,” she wrote. “Bring it on 2024!”
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Source: HIS Education