Former Olympic gymnastics champion Mary Lou Retton remained in intensive care Wednesday with a rare form of pneumonia.
Layton’s daughters posted a message on Instagram saying their mother “still continues to fight.” Likewise, they thanked the thousands of people who donated to help the former athlete’s family with medical expenses.
Shayla Kelley Schrepfer, the eldest of Layton’s four daughters, said in a video posted on Instagram that the family was “overwhelmed” by the outpouring of support for the 55-year-old retired gymnast “.
“We didn’t even realize there were so many people out there who loved her as much as we did,” Schreepfer said. “This has been a really difficult time for the family. So just seeing how people love her and how they show their support means everything to us and her. Thank you”.
Nearly 5,000 people donated $275,000 in 24 hours since his family launched an online fundraiser on Tuesday. The family explained that Layton had no health insurance, adding that their initial goal was $50,000 to help care for the former gymnast.
Schreepfer declined to provide details about Layton’s condition. He would only say: “This will be a process that will have to be evaluated on a daily basis.”
Layton, from Fairmont, West Virginia, made history at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles when she was 16 years old, scoring a perfect 10 in the final two rounds on floor exercise and vault. This made her the first American to win the Olympic all-around title.
He won five medals at these events, two silver and two bronze, and became a popular figure appearing on posters and cereal boxes.
Layton retired in 1986. He has appeared in numerous films and television shows, including Dancing with the Stars.
She divorced husband Shannon Kelly in 2018.