Mary Lou Retton is holding her loved ones a little closer this Thanksgiving Day.
As People magazine reports, during the holiday, the Olympic champion, 55, shared photos of herself and her family as she reflected on the ups and downs of her year in a lengthy Instagram caption. “As we gather to celebrate this Thanksgiving, my heart is overflowing with profound gratitude. I want to express how truly blessed and thankful I am to be slowly improving and to be home with my girls, especially after my time in the hospital,” the caption began.
The post continued: “The love and support of my four amazing daughters have been a source of strength and inspiration throughout my journey. Their presence in my life is a testament to the incredible bonds of family. 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’s reflections come amidst her ongoing road to recovery after she faced a health scare in early October, which landed her in the ICU. Her daughter, McKenna Kelley, 26, made the initial announcement of her mother’s condition at the time. “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 Spotfund fundraising page for Retton, which has raised over $459,000 — well over its initial $50,000 goal.
After the retired gymnast was released from a Texas hospital in late October, Kelley couldn’t contain her gratitude. “Mom is HOME & in recovery mode,” Kelley wrote in a statement on Instagram. “We still have a long road of recovery ahead of us, but baby steps.” She continued, “We are overwhelmed with the love and support from everyone. Grateful doesn’t scrape the surface of the posture of our hearts.”
While the condition(s) that caused her to be hospitalized is still a mystery, shortly after she returned home, Retton used her Instagram account to make her own statement about her recovery process. “I’m with family continuing to slowly recover and staying very positive as I know this recovery is a long and slow process,” the former athlete wrote. “When the time is right, I will be sharing more information about my health issues.”
Retton’s holiday message concluded, “On this day of giving thanks, I am reminded of the preciousness of life, the love that surrounds me, and the resilience of the human spirit. Happy Thanksgiving to you all. May this day be a reflection of the love, togetherness, and gratitude that fills our hearts.”
In addition to her gratitude, she also hopes that by eventually sharing her own story, she can “help others who may face the same battle as me.”
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Photo Credit: neftali / Shutterstock.com