At 90, This Legendary Actress Faced Alzheimer's like Her Late Daughter – Who Is She?
April 23, 2026

Olympic icon Mary Lou Retton, 55, known for her prowess as an incredible gymnast, has been facing a severe health issue. She has been in the ICU amid a battle with pneumonia.
The doting mom's daughters, McKenna, Shayla, Skyla, and Emma Kelley, previously started a funding page to kindly implore people to donate what they can to help their family cover their mother's medical expenses and pray for their beloved matriarch. On the webpage, Retton's daughter, McKenna, explained that the former pro athlete had caught a rare type of pneumonia and has been fighting for her life ever since.
At the time the webpage was created, Retton had been in the ICU for over a week. Though McKenna said the family would not be sharing intricate details about Retton's situation, she did disclose:
"...She is not able to breathe on her own..."
In another statement McKenna, who has also followed in her mom's footsteps, shared on her social media account, she thanked all who had been donating and doing what they could to help Retton's cause. She also thanked the doctors and nurses in charge of Retton's care and said that her mom has been continuing to fight.
This current health complication that Retton is facing has not been her first health issue. Before her current bout with pneumonia, there was a time when the doting mom of four could not even play with her little girls, whom she shares with her ex-husband, Shannon Kelley.
In a past interview that she did years ago, the gold medal winner spoke about the toll giving birth to her kids had on her body. She recalled a moment when they were little, and she could not even manage to get down on the floor and play dolls with them. While talking about her previous health issues, Retton also revealed:
"...I knew I needed some major surgeries to help me in my 30s and 40s. So I've had two hip replacements for it..."
Coming back to Retton's current health battle, this past weekend, her other daughter, Shayla, shared a positive update on her mom's current state on behalf of her and her sisters. Though Retton remains in the ICU, according to her daughters, she has been making promising progress.
The excited girls, who are their mom's fierce protectors, expressed how pleased they are to share the uplifting update. The words shared on Shayla's social media account read:
"...her path to recovery is steadily unfolding. Her fighting spirit is truly shining! Her breathing is becoming stronger, and her reliance on machines is diminishing..."
Although the statement also mentions that Retton's recovery journey is still a lengthy one that lies ahead, her kids are excited to see that their mom has been making improvements and responding well to her treatments.
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