Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton recently revealed her life-threatening battle with pneumonia, sharing that she was on the brink of being put on life support.
The gymnast, who won gold in the 1984 Summer Olympics, spoke about her serious condition in an exclusive interview with NBC’s “TODAY” show.
Retton, 55, contracted a rare form of pneumonia that left her critically ill and unable to breathe on her own. (Trending: Joe Biden Sets New Presidential Record)
EXCLUSIVE: Legendary American gymnast Mary Lou Retton says her neighbor found her lying on her bedroom floor in October and took her to the emergency room, where she was diagnosed with pneumonia. pic.twitter.com/31QJ8lcIus
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) January 8, 2024
Her family initiated a crowdfunding effort to cover her hospital bills, which has raised over $459,000.
Pneumonia, which can be caused by various factors, is a serious lung infection that can lead to hospitalization and even death.
“I am blessed to be here because there is a time when they were about to put me on life support,” Retton said.
“Usually my interviews are, ‘Oh yes — it felt great to win the Olympics,’ you know?” Retton added. “This is serious and this is life.”
“I’m with family continuing to slowly recover and staying very positive as I know this recovery is a long and slow process,” she wrote in October.
Dr. Panagis Galiatsatos of Johns Hopkins Medicine noted an increase in pneumonia cases this winter and emphasized the importance of vaccines, particularly for vulnerable groups.
“We would really recommend these vaccines for the individuals that are most likely to develop streptococcal pneumonia,” Galiatsatos said.
“This one can be easily put in the top tier of really bad winters with regards to lung infections such as pneumonia,” he said.
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