Retton Avoids Queries on Donations, Healthcare
- Olympic medallist Mary Lou Retton has recently received nearly half a million dollars in donations through the crowdsourcing site spotfund.com, after her daughter announced Retton was severely ill with a rare form of pneumonia. However, Retton has been criticized for refusing to provide details about how the funds are being spent.
- Retton, 55, has declined multiple attempts by USA TODAY Sports to get answers about her medical situation, including queries about her lack of health insurance, her financial status, where she was hospitalized, and her doctors. Her reluctance to provide this information has raised questions because the donations were solicited from the public.
- Retton’s daughter, McKenna Kelley, defended her mother’s lack of health insurance, stating that due to Retton’s medical history, healthcare was unaffordable for her. Kelley also mentioned that Retton had given up her insurance because she couldn’t work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kelley refused to comment on the specifics of how the donated money was being used but stated that remaining funds would be given to a charity of Retton’s choice.
Olympic Champion Mary Lou Retton’s Public Donations and Health Details Remain a Closed Book
In the past three months, Olympic legend Mary Lou Retton has received nearly half a million dollars, $459,324 to be precise, from 8,319 donors after her daughter’s social media announcement about Retton’s fight with a rare form of pneumonia and lack of insurance. The donations have been subject to scrutiny due to Retton’s refusal to disclose details regarding her health status and donation usage.
Despite several attempts by USA TODAY Sports to contact Retton, her daughter McKenna Kelley, and family friends to inquire about Retton’s health insurance situation, hospitalization details, and financial status, no substantive replies were received. The public’s interest in Retton’s health was sparked by her daughters’ decision to seek donations on spotfund.com, leading many strangers to contribute to her cause.
Retton, while refusing to communicate with USA TODAY Sports, agreed to an interview with NBC’s “Today Show”. She shared details of a frightening, month-long hospitalization that almost resulted in her being put on life support. USA TODAY Sports also learned from NBC that Retton is now insured, though she declined to reveal if the spotfund.com donations are covering the insurance costs. The former Olympian cited the financial strain of Covid-19 and a 2018 divorce, along with pre-existing conditions, as reasons for her previous lack of insurance.
In an exclusive interview with USA TODAY Sports, Kelley defended her mother’s previous lack of insurance and stated that Retton’s multiple surgeries, including four hip replacements, made health insurance unaffordable. Kelley also revealed Retton was planning to get insurance again before falling ill.
Questions about the allocation of the nearly half-million dollars raised remain unanswered. Kelley stated that all remaining funds would go to a charity of Retton’s choice, but did not provide a timeline or further details.
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