Mary Lou Retton Shares 'Grateful' Thanksgiving Tribute Following Health Scare

Retired Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton gave thanks on Thursday, which marked the annual American Thanksgiving holiday.

The 55-year-old shared a few photos of her with her four daughters as she reflected on how grateful she was for the support of her family and friends when she was fighting for her life in the ICU only a few short weeks ago.

In an Instagram carousel featuring photos of her with her family, Mary Lou Retton wrote, “Happy Thanksgiving,” adding, “As we gather to celebrate this Thanksgiving, my heart is overflowing with profound gratitude. I want to express how truly blessed and thankful I am to be slowly improving and to be home with my girls, especially after my time in the hospital.”

“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 incredible bonds of family,” she continued. “My extended family, all of you, have shown me immeasurable kindness, offering prayers, encouragement, and unwavering support during my challenging times. Your love has been a beacon of hope in my life.”

The retired gymnast went on to say, “I also want to express my gratitude to my Foxy family for always being there for me. Your friendship and support have been a constant source of comfort and joy. On this day of giving thanks, I am reminded of the preciousness of life, the love that surrounds me, and the resilience of the human spirit.”

“Each one of you has played a significant role in my journey, and for that, I am eternally grateful,” she concluded. “Happy Thanksgiving to you all. May this day be a reflection of the love, togetherness, and gratitude that fills our hearts.” Comments on the Instagram post were disabled, but it did receive over 6,000 likes in less than 24 hours.

McKenna Kelly, the daughter of Mary Lou Retton, took to her Instagram Stories on Tuesday, October 10, to reveal that her mother was fighting a “very rare form of pneumonia” and was “fighting for her life” in the ICU.

She created a Spotfund page to finance her mother’s hospital stay, which received over $50,000 dollars from hundreds of donors. “My amazing mom, Mary Lou, has a very rare form of pneumonia and is fighting for her life,” she wrote in the plea. “She is not able to breathe on her own. She’s been in the ICU for over a week now. Out of respect for her and her privacy, I will not disclose all details. However, I will disclose that she is not insured.”

She went on to say, “We ask that if you could help in any way, that 1) you PRAY! and 2) if you could help us with finances for the hospital bill. ANYTHING, absolutely anything, would be so helpful for my family and my mom. Thank y’all so very much!”

On Monday, October 30, Mary Lou Retton took to Instagram to let her fans know that she was grateful for their words of support as she battled for her life in the ICU.

“I’m beyond blessed to have the opportunity to make this statement. I am overwhelmed with all the love and support from the world as I fight. I am forever grateful to you all!” she wrote. “I’m with my family continuing to slowly recover and staying positive as I know this recovery is a long and slow process.”

“I appreciate everyone’s respect of my privacy at this time,” she continued. “When the time is right, I will be sharing more information about my health issues and hope I can help others who face the same battle as me. I love you all.”