Mary Lou Retton, the Olympic gold medalist, has been making headlines once again, but not for the reasons one would expect, as the gymnast is suffering from Pneumonia and was admitted to the intensive care unit.
Mary Lou Retton’s daughter has kept the media and her loved ones updated through her Instagram story, where she stated that her mother’s fighting spirits were high and she was doing well but was still in the intensive care unit.
Born in Fairmont on January 24, 1968, Mary Lou, originally Mary Lou Retton, is a former gymnast who has made her country proud during her career as a gymnast after winning five medals in the Olympics, including a gold medal, two silver medals, and two bronze medal.
Mary Lou Retton earned the nickname of America’s Sweetheart after winning the gold medal and became the first American woman to win a gold in gymnastics.
Mary’s family set up a fundraising page to get funds for Mary’s treatment of Pneumonia, which crossed $400,00 in donations after an overwhelming amount of love and support poured from her news following the announcement by their family.
Mary is suffering and fighting for life from a unique form of Pneumonia. Mary stands quite petite at a height of 4ft 9 inches, weighing 93 lb with beautiful physique. Mary was born to her parents, Ronnie, owner of a coal transportation business, and Lois Retton.
Mary attended Fairmont Senior High School for her high school education but dropped out before completion to focus on her career in gymnastics.
Mary took inspiration from Nadia Comaneci before taking up gymnastics in Fairmont at 8 and started her training under Coach Gary Rafoloski.
In 1938, Mary had to drop out of the World Gymnastics Championship after suffering from a wrist injury, but she made an incredible comeback by winning the American Cup for a second time in 1984. Mary was featured in several advertisements after retiring from the sport in 1968 after her condition of hip dysplasia worsened, and she needed hip replacement surgery.
Mary stated the reason behind her retirement was that she felt fulfilled in her career and had achieved the goals she set for herself as a gymnast. Apart from her gymnastics career, Mary has featured in several television and film appearances, including Knots Landing, Glee, Scrooged, and ABC Funfit.
Mary tied the knot with a former quarterback from the University Of Texas, Shannon Kelley, in 1990, and the couple share four daughters. Mary Lou Retton has left behind a massive legacy with a routine on the uneven bars that included a move that came to be known as “The Retton Flip.”
Mary Lou Retton’s Net Worth
People started to wonder what Mary’s net worth might be after her family needed to set up a fundraising page to raise funds to meet the cost of Mary’s treatment after she was admitted to a Texas hospital after suffering from a rare form of Pneumonia.
So, for every interested soul, the answer is that Mary Lou Retton, the former gymnast, is speculated to enjoy an estimated net worth of $2 million, most of which came from her career as a successful gymnast.
Well, the prime reason Mary’s family needed help from her fans to meet the cost of her treatment was her not having health insurance.
Her gig as a motivational speaker supplemented her career’s wide accumulation of net worth. Mary earned a massive $1 M reward for her win of a gold medal in the Olympics from the U.S. Olympic Committee.
Mary became the first woman spokesperson for Wheaties, a cereal brand, after her win, and the brand featured Mary on their box. Many people are unaware that Mary was featured on Hershey’s, the renowned candy bar, and several other known U.S. brands, including Revco, Energizer batteries, and Purex laundry detergent.
A part of Mary’s earnings come from her appearances in films and television series, including Baywatch, Naked Gun 33, Scrooged, and ABC Funit.
Mary has also worked in several commercials for bowling and shampoo and became a spokesperson for a pain relief cream named Australian Dream. She has also worked as a gymnast analyst for a while, which has contributed to a part of her annual net worth.
