Mary Lou Retton feels grateful to be alive after a harrowing ordeal.
The legendary Olympian is speaking out on-camera for the first time about battling severe pneumonia that landed her in the ICU last fall.
"I am on oxygen," Retton, wearing a nasal cannula, told Today's Hoda Kotb in an interview, part of which was released Jan. 7. "I am so grateful to be here. I am blessed to be here, because there was a time when they were about to put me on life support."
The 55-year-old, who made history at the 1984 Olympics when she became the American woman to win the all-around gold medal in Olympic gymnastics, was hospitalized last October.
A week after she entered the ICU, one of four daughters, McKenna Kelley, revealed her health scare publicly, writing on the fundraiser platform Spotfund that her mom was hospitalized with a "very rare form" of pneumonia. She said Mary Lou was "fighting for her life" and was "not able to breathe on her own." She also said her mother had no health insurance and asked for both prayers and donations to help with hospital bill payments.
Two weeks later, McKenna announced that Mary Lou had been discharged from the hospital and was recovering at home. On Oct. 30, the retired gymnast broke her silence about her health battle.
"I'm beyond blessed to have the opportunity to make this statement," Mary Lou wrote on Instagram. "I am overwhelmed with the love and support from the world as I fight. I am forever grateful to you all!"
The athlete continued, "I'm with family continuing to slowly recover and staying very positive as I know this recovery is a long and slow process."
Mary Lou went on to celebrate the holidays with her family amid her recovery. "As we gather to celebrate this Thanksgiving, my heart is overflowing with profound gratitude," she wrote on Instagram in November. "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."
She added, "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."
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