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Olympian Mary Lou Retton released from hospital, home recovering

The decorated athlete's daughter confirmed the news, writing, "Mom is HOME." Retton was in a hospital for weeks amid a recent health scare.
Mary Lou Retton arrives at the 71st annual Golden Globe Awards.
Posted at 5:34 PM, Oct 23, 2023

Decorated U.S. Olympic champion Mary Lou Retton has been released from the hospital after a weeks-long stay for a recent health scare. 

Retton's daughter McKenna Kelley confirmed the news on social media, writing, "Mom is HOME & in recovery mode. We still have a long road of recovery ahead of us, but baby steps." 

Retton was admitted into a hospital to fight a "very rare form of pneumonia," her daughter said in early October. 

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Spot Fund page was created to raise money for Retton's medical costs. Kelley said she would "not disclose all details" out of respect for her mother's privacy, but said she was "not able to breathe on her own."

Kelly asked her followers to help "in any way" with "finances for the hospital bill." It was unclear by Monday if the donations were sufficient to help Retton with her treatments and finances. 

A 55-year-old decorated U.S. Olympian, Retton won five medals at the 1984 Olympic Games held in Los Angeles, which was more than any other athlete competing. 

Retton's success earned her an iconic status in the worlds of sports and entertainment. After her wins Retton went on to stay active in media, appearing in television and film roles. She was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997 and became the first woman to be placed into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame in 2020. 

Retton served on the President's Council for Physical Fitness and Sports under President George W. Bush.