The gymnastics champion sprang to stardom at the 1984 Olympics, where she became the first American woman to win a gold medal in the all-around competition. Her family is raising money online, saying she lacks health insurance.
May Lou Retton at the 1984 Olympics, where she won five medals.
Mary Lou Retton, who became one of the most popular athletes in the country after winning the all-around women’s gymnastics competition at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, has pneumonia and is “fighting for her life” in the intensive care unit, her daughter said in a statement this week.
Retton’s daughter McKenna Lane Kelley said on Instagram that her mother “is not able to breathe on her own” and that she had been in the intensive care unit for more than a week.
Kelley asked for donations to help pay for her mother’s hospital bills, saying her mother lacked health insurance. By Wednesday, she had raised more than $260,000 online from more than 4,600 donors.
She did not share more specific information about her mother’s condition, though she said that her pneumonia was “a very rare form.” It was not clear what hospital Retton was in.
Kelley, who was a gymnast at Louisiana State University, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, another daughter, Shayla Kelley Schrepfer, released a video on Instagram thanking people for “all the love and support that you’ve given to my mom.”
“She’s still fighting,” Schrepfer said. “It’s going to be a day-by-day process, and we hope that you guys will respect her boundaries, as we want to keep the details between her and our family right now. She has been treated with the best of the best professionals here, and it has been such a blessing to have their hands on her.”
At the 1984 Olympics, Retton became the first American woman to win the all-around gold medal or any individual Olympic medal in gymnastics. Going into the final rotation of the competition, she was five-hundredths of a point behind Romania’s Ecaterina Szabo, and the only way she could beat Szabo was to score a perfect 10 on vault.
Retton scored a perfect 10.
She won five medals in Los Angeles, including two silvers, for team and vault, and two bronzes, for uneven bars and floor exercise.
Though there was an asterisk by Retton’s victory in the history books — the Soviet Union, which was the most dominant force in women’s gymnastics at the time, boycotted the 1984 Games — it nonetheless made her a sports hero in the United States. In addition to earning her the traditional trappings of Olympic gold, like appearing on a Wheaties box, she was widely viewed as an inspiration to a new generation of American girls entering gymnastics.
Even as the American gymnastics program grew and the country won more medals, including the team gold in 1996, Retton’s prominence remained: For 20 years, Retton, now 55, was the only American woman to win the all-around title, until Carly Patterson became the second in 2004.
Retton was born in Fairmont, W.Va., and got her start early, like many top gymnasts. By the time Retton was 7 years old, she was training in gymnastics full-time.
Retton’s talent had been apparent from the start, but a big break came at an Olympics elimination tournament in Reno, Nev., in 1982, where she impressed Bela Karolyi, who would go on to coach her in the 1984 Olympics.
“I immediately recognized the tremendous physical potential of this little kid,” Karolyi said in a March 1984 interview.
Retton appeared in a number of films and TV shows in the late 1980s and 1990s, including the comedy film “Scrooged.”
After her athletic career, Retton became a motivational speaker to promote the benefits of proper nutrition and regular exercise.
I Hired a Nanny to Help with My Kids and Noticed My Husband and Children Changing — Then One Day, I Came Home Early
I was convinced my husband was cheating. The stolen glances, the hushed conversations, the way everyone went silent when I walked into the room—it all pointed to one thing. But when I finally decided to catch him in the act, what I found left me speechless.
Returning to work after maternity leave was overwhelming. Juggling deadlines and sleepless nights had drained every ounce of my energy. So when my best friend recommended Lucy—a sweet, soft-spoken nanny with glowing reviews—I thought I had struck gold.
A beautiful woman | Source: Midjourney
At first, she was perfect. My kids adored her, the house smelled of home-cooked meals again, and even my husband, Peter, seemed… lighter. Less tense. He’d come home earlier, smile more, and for the first time in months, there was laughter at the dinner table.
But then—something shifted.
Whenever I walked through the door, conversations would die mid-sentence. The kids, usually so eager to see me, would suddenly remember they had “homework.” Peter would get up to “shower” or “make a call.” And Lucy? She would avoid eye contact altogether, scurrying off like she was caught doing something she shouldn’t.
A beautiful young woman gazing into the distance | Source: Midjourney
I told myself I was being paranoid. I was exhausted, overworked—maybe even insecure. But then, I saw it.
Peter, standing by the kitchen island, laughing. The way his eyes crinkled, his voice warm and low. I hadn’t seen that look in years.
Then Lucy tilted her head, twirling a loose strand of hair. And Peter… oh my God.
He smiled at her. Not the casual, polite kind. It was the kind of smile that used to be mine.
My stomach dropped.
He’s cheating on me.
A man speaking with his children’s nanny | Source: Midjourney
The late nights. The sudden change in schedule. The way he barely looked at me anymore. It all made sense.
Today is our 15th anniversary. No flowers, no gifts — just a vague excuse about a “new project.”
I couldn’t ignore it anymore.
So, I left work two hours early.
I gripped my keys so tightly that they dug into my palm. My heart was pounding as I stepped inside, ready to catch them in the act. But the moment I crossed the threshold, I stopped dead in my tracks.
The living room was decorated with candles and soft fairy lights. A magnificent banner stretched across the wall—Happy Anniversary, My Love.
A cozy living room featuring a magnificent “Happy Anniversary” banner across the wall | Source: Midjourney
The dining table was set for two, adorned with flowers, fine china, and an elegant meal. The smell of garlic and rosemary filled the air. My breath caught.
What the hell is going on?
Lucy beamed as she walked toward me, wiping her hands on her apron. “Happy anniversary! They worked so hard for you.”
I blinked, trying to process her words. “What?”
Peter appeared from the kitchen, his sleeves rolled up, a towel slung over his shoulder. “Surprise!” He gave me a sheepish smile. “You weren’t supposed to be home this early.”
A smiling 40-year-old man with rolled-up sleeves and a towel over his shoulder setting the dining table | Source: Midjourney
I stared at him, still expecting some cruel revelation.
Ava tugged on my sleeve. “Mommy, we made dinner for you!”
My son, Ethan, nodded proudly. “Lucy taught us. Daddy wanted to surprise you since you work so much now.”
I felt the air rush out of my lungs. I looked at Peter. “You… what?”
He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah. I know I’ve been distant lately, but it was for this. Lucy’s been helping us plan for weeks. I just wanted to do something special for you this time.”
For a month… they had been secretly learning how to cook.
A man receiving cooking lessons from his children’s nanny | Source: Midjourney
A lump formed in my throat. I had spent weeks convincing myself Peter was cheating when in reality, he had been planning this?
Tears burned my eyes. “I—I don’t know what to say.”
Lucy smiled warmly. “Say yes to dinner.” Then she clapped her hands together. “And with that, I’m taking the kids to the mall. We’re going to walk around, play, and have fun. We’ll leave you two here.”
She winked at me, grabbed the kids’ coats, and within seconds, they were out the door.
Now, it was just Peter and me.
Couple having a romantic dinner | Source: Midjourney
He took a step closer. “So… do you like it?”
I swallowed hard, my emotions tangled. I had spent the last month preparing for heartbreak. But instead, I had this.
And for some reason, I still couldn’t shake the unease in my chest.
For the first time in weeks, I exhaled. The doubt, the fear, the sinking suspicion that had been eating me alive—it all vanished.
I was wrong. I was so, so wrong.
Couple bonding | Source: Midjourney
No one was pushing me away. The kids weren’t growing distant. Peter wasn’t cheating on me. It had all been in my head. And now, as I stood in the middle of our candlelit dining room, the smell of home-cooked food wrapping around me like a warm embrace, I felt something I hadn’t in a long time.
I was happy.
Peter walked up to me, his gaze soft, filled with something that made my heart ache. Love. Real, undeniable love. He held out a bouquet of red roses—my favorite.
“Happy anniversary, baby,” he said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
A man presenting a bouquet of red roses to his wife | Source: Midjourney
I smiled, blinking away the tears welling in my eyes. “You didn’t have to do all this.”
“Yes, I did,” he murmured. “You’ve done everything for this family. You take care of the kids, the house, me—I just wanted to do something for you this time.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a sleek, black box. My breath hitched as he opened it, revealing a stunning pair of designer heels. The exact ones I had been eyeing months ago but never bought because I felt guilty spending that much on myself.
A man presenting a sleek black box with designer heels to his wife | Source: Midjourney
My lips parted in shock. “Peter…”
“I saw you looking at them,” he said with a smirk. “Figured you should have them.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “You’re unbelievable.”
He suddenly grew serious, reaching for my hand. “And there’s one more thing.”
I tilted my head. “What?”
He took a deep breath, then looked into my eyes. “I want to say my vows to you again.”
My heart stuttered in my chest. “Peter—”
A happy couple gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes | Source: Midjourney
“I know it’s unexpected,” he cut in, squeezing my hand. “But I mean it. After fifteen years, after everything we’ve been through, I still choose you. Every day, I choose you.”
Tears blurred my vision.
He took both my hands in his and began.
“This time, my vows are different,” he said. “But the meaning is the same. I promise to love you, to stand by you, to fight for us no matter what. To be the husband you deserve.”
A happy couple gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes | Source: Midjourney
A tear slipped down my cheek. I wiped it away, laughing shakily. “I don’t even know what to say.”
“Say you’ll keep putting up with me for another fifteen years.”
I giggled. “I think I can manage that.”
He leaned in, his lips just a breath away from mine. My body relaxed, my heart swelling with so much love I thought it might burst.
And then—his phone buzzed.
A husband holding his phone while talking to his wife | Source: Midjourney
Peter tensed.
I pulled back slightly. “Aren’t you going to check that?”
His jaw tightened. “It’s nothing.”
I frowned. “Peter—”
He sighed and pulled out his phone. The screen lit up, and I caught the name before he could turn it over.
Lucy.
A husband holding his phone while talking to his wife | Source: Midjourney
I blinked. Then laughed. “Oh no, is she having trouble handling the kids?”
Peter smirked. “Probably.”
The phone buzzed again. This time, I answered it. “Lucy?”
Her voice was breathless. “Maa’m! I called because the kids wanted to say something—”
Ava’s excited voice came through. “Mommy! Did you like the surprise? Did Daddy cry when he gave you the shoes?”
I laughed. “Not yet, sweetie, but I’ll work on it.”
Ethan chimed in. “Tell Daddy we love him! And you too, Mommy!”
Happy couple bonding | Source: Midjourney
Tears stung my eyes again, but this time, they were happy ones. “We love you too, baby.”
Peter wrapped his arms around my waist, pressing a kiss to my temple.
Lucy chuckled. “I’ll keep them out for a bit longer. Enjoy your night!”
I hung up, turning to Peter. “You have no idea how much this means to me.”
He smiled. “I think I do.”
And as he pulled me into his arms, I realized—this was exactly where I was meant to be.
Happy couple hugging intimately | Source: Midjourney
Enjoyed this rollercoaster of a story? Well, here’s another one that will keep you on the edge of your seat: My husband insisted on hiring a cute young nanny while I was on a business trip—he didn’t know I had installed surveillance cameras. Let’s just say… he wasn’t expecting what I found.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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