Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton has been battling severe pneumonia in a hospital intensive care unit, her daughters say.
Layton’s daughter, McKenna Kelly, posted on a GoFundMe page Tuesday that the Hall of Fame gymnast is critically ill. Another daughter confirmed the illness to NBC News.
McKenna Kelly wrote on the GoFundMe website: “My amazing mum Mary Lou is fighting for her life with a very rare form of pneumonia. She cannot breathe on her own. She is already in intensive care. How long have you been here?” It’s been a week now. ”
No further details were released and it was unclear where Layton, 55, was receiving treatment. She is a native of West Virginia and lives in Houston.
In a crowdfunding statement linked to her verified Instagram account, Kelly appealed for help paying Layton’s hospital bills and said she had no health insurance.
“Anything, absolutely anything, would be helpful to my family and my mom,” she wrote.
Leighton became the first American woman to win a gymnastics gold medal when she won the all-around title at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. That summer, she won more medals than any other athlete: five in total.
Her achievements made Leighton a household name, leading her to radio stations as a sports commentator, television shows as an actress and contestant, and even film roles.
