Mary Lou Retton, the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic champion, remained in intensive care Wednesday with a rare form of pneumonia, her daughter said.
Olympic gymnastics champion Mary Lou Retton remains in intensive care On Wednesday, he was dealing with a rare form of pneumonia.
Layton’s daughters posted on Instagram that their mother “keeps fighting” and thanked the thousands of people who donated to help pay for Layton’s medical bills.
Shayla Kelley Schrepfer, the eldest of Leighton’s four daughters, said in a video update on Instagram that the family was “overwhelmed” by the outpouring of support for Leighton, 55. .
“We didn’t even realize there were so many people who loved her as much as we did,” Schreepfer said. “This is a very difficult time for our family. To see people loving her like this and showing her this support means a lot to us and her, so thank you.”
Nearly 5,000 people donated more than $275,000 in 24 hours since his family launched an online fundraiser on Tuesday. Layton’s family said he did not have health insurance and said they are seeking donations, with an initial goal of $50,000, to help pay for Layton’s care.
Schreepfer declined to provide details about Layton’s situation, saying only that “it’s going to be a day-by-day process.”
Leighton, from Fairmont, West Virginia, made history at the Los Angeles Games when, at age 16, she became the first American woman to win the all-around Olympic title when she scored perfect 10s in the final two rounds of floor exercise and vault.
She won five medals at the Olympics (two silver and two bronze, plus all-around gold) and became a pop culture sensation while earning the nickname “America’s Sweetheart.” Her Olympic success made her the first female athlete to appear on the cover of a Wheaties cereal box.
Layton retired from racing in 1986. Her newfound fame made her a household name in the United States. She has appeared in numerous films and television shows, including an appearance on Dancing with the Stars.
She and her husband, Shannon Kelley, divorced in 2018.