Mary Lou Retton Dodges Inquiry on Donations, Health Care
TL/DR –
Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton received nearly half a million dollars ($459,324) in public donations after her daughter announced Retton was suffering from a rare form of pneumonia and lacked health insurance. Retton has declined to answer questions about her financial situation, the name of her doctor or hospital, and whether the donations are paying for her current health insurance. Her daughter, McKenna Kelley, says Retton couldn’t afford health insurance due to pre-existing conditions and financial strain from the pandemic but did not comment on how the donated funds have been used.
Olympic Great Mary Lou Retton’s Health and Donations Raise Concern
In the past three months, Olympic legend Mary Lou Retton has received a staggering $459,324 from 8,319 donors. This follows her daughter’s announcement that Retton was battling a rare form of pneumonia without insurance. These donations to Mary Lou Retton have led to questions that remain unanswered despite USA TODAY Sports’ numerous attempts to communicate with Retton and her family.
Retton, now 55, has declined to discuss her financial situation, health insurance status, or the details of her hospitalization. This lack of transparency has attracted attention due to the public’s involvement in funding her healthcare through donations on spotfund.com raised by her daughters.
Despite her silence towards USA TODAY Sports, Retton did participate in an interview with NBC’s “Today Show”. She revealed her frightening hospital experience, but chose not to disclose the name of the hospital. She also confirmed she is now insured, but did not comment on whether the donations are covering her health insurance costs.
Investigations into her past reveal that Retton’s lack of health insurance was due to her inability to afford it, with her daughter citing over 30 orthopedic surgeries and chronic pain as contributing factors.
Further reports from USA TODAY Sports suggest that Retton could have qualified for health insurance plans costing between $545 and $680 per month, but she gave up her insurance due to financial stress during the pandemic.
The lack of transparency regarding the use of the received donations has also sparked concern. Retton’s daughter has stated that the remaining funds will be donated to charity but has given no further details.
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