Retired Olympian Mary Lou Retton Refuses to Say Where $500k in Donations Went Following Health Scare
Donations poured in after her health scare in October.
Jan. 22 2024, Published 5:00 p.m. ET
Retired Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton is refusing to address where the $500k in donations went when she appeared to be on her deathbed, RadarOnline.com can reveal. Fans, as well as news outlets, are questioning how the money was spent months after she was released from the hospital following a rare form of pneumonia.
The 55-year-old — whose birthday is coming up on January 24 — and her family received a staggering $459,324 when all was said and done, reported USA Today reporter Christine Brennan. Retton's daughters admitted they did not expect to collect that much after begging fans to assist with their mother's medical bills.
At the time, they only disclosed that the ex-Olympian — dubbed "America's Sweetheart" after her performance at the 1984 Summer Games — did not have insurance.
Mary Lou Retton's daughter revealed her mom was not insured while "fighting for her life" in the ICU.
When Rutton wound up "fighting for her life" in the ICU in October, her daughter, McKenna Kelley, asked for financial assistance by sharing the crowdsourcing link.
"Please help my mom continue to fight," Kelley wrote. "Out of respect for her and her privacy, I will not disclose all details. However, I will disclose that she is not insured."
"We ask that if you could help in any way, that 1) you PRAY! and 2) if you could help us with finances for the hospital bill," her plea read.
McKenna asked for continued prayers and donations as her mom laid in the hospital.
Donations quickly came pouring in; however, the family has allegedly declined to be transparent about what Retton's medical bills came to and how much they plan to give to charity. During an interview with USA Today, Kelley said her mom could not afford health insurance because of pre-existing conditions, which included "over 30 orthopedic surgeries, including four hip replacements."
She disclosed that Retton is "in chronic pain every day."
The family also revealed that Retton faced financial hardship following her divorce and Covid-19. During the pandemic, her income from speaking engagement opportunities completely stopped.
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During a recent interview, the family did not disclose exactly how the money was spent.
However, USA Today pointed to The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, citing that its reporters found premiums of $545 and $680 per month, leaving many to question how that isn't doable for the ex-Olympian.
Retton was released from the hospital on October 23, with her loved ones saying they were taking her recovery day by day.
Retton became the first U.S. woman to take home the all-around gold medal in an Olympic Games in 1984.
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"Mom is HOME & in recovery mode. We still have a long road of recovery ahead of us, but baby steps," Kelley shared at the time. "We are overwhelmed with the love and support from everyone. Grateful doesn't scrape the surface of the posture of our hearts."
RadarOnline.com has reached out to Retton's family for comment.
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