Olympic champion Mary Lou Retton making ‘remarkable’ progress

Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton has made “remarkable” progress, her daughter Shayla Schrepfer said on social media on Saturday, after a rare form of pneumonia left the American fighting for her life.

The gymnastics icon, 55, has been in intensive care for several days because she was unable to breathe on her own.

“Prayers were heard and answered,” Schrepfer wrote in an Instagram post. “Although she remains in the ICU, her road to recovery is progressing steadily. Her fighting spirit truly shines!

“His breathing becomes stronger and his dependence on machines decreases.”

Nicknamed “America’s Sweetheart,” Retton’s gold medal-winning performance at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles captured the imagination of American fans, and her hospitalization sparked an outpouring of support.

A fundraising page set up by the family exceeded $400,000 in donations as of Saturday afternoon.

“Even though the journey is long, witnessing these improvements is incredibly encouraging,” Schrepfer wrote. “She’s responding so well to the treatments.”