Mary Lou Retton Celebrates First Christmas Since Health Scare With Sweet Photo

Mary Lou Retton is celebrating her family this holiday season! The 55-year-old Olympic gymnast, who spent weeks “fighting for her life” in the ICU back in October, celebrated Christmas by posting a sweet photo of her daughters Skyla, Emma, McKenna and Shayla Tuesday. 

“Merry Christmas,” the athlete captioned a photo of the four kids she shares with her ex-husband Shannon Kelley rocking matching Christmas light headbands. It was 26-year-old McKenna who first shared the news publicly that her mother had been hospitalized in Texas back in early October, having contracted a “very rare form” of pneumonia. “My amazing mom, Mary Lou, has a very rare form of pneumonia and is fighting for her life,” she wrote in a message on a fundraising page for her mother at the time.

Retton was eventually released from the hospital in October, prompting an update from daughter Shayla. “Mom is HOME & in recovery mode,” she wrote on Instagram at the time. “We still have a long road of recovery ahead of us, but baby steps.” Retton’s daughter continued, “We are overwhelmed with the love and support from everyone. Grateful doesn’t scrape the surface of the posture of our hearts.”

Retton was recovered enough to celebrate Thanksgiving with her family, sharing a message of gratitude to social media at the time praising her daughters for everything they had done to care for her. “The love and support of my four amazing daughters have been a source of strength and inspiration throughout my journey,” Retton wrote on social media at the time. 

“Their presence in my life is a testament to the incredible bonds of family,” she added, continuing her post, “My extended family, all of you, have shown me immeasurable kindness, offering prayers, encouragement and unwavering support during my challenging times. Your love has been a beacon of hope in my life.”

Retton wrote that on the day of giving thanks, “I am reminded of the preciousness of life, the love that surrounds me, and the resilience of the human spirit.” She noted, “Each one of you has played a significant role in my journey, and for that, I am eternally grateful,” concluding her lengthy message, “Happy Thanksgiving to you all. May this day be a reflection of the love, togetherness, and gratitude that fills our hearts.”