Mary Lou Retton has had ‘a pretty scary setback’ in her battle against a rare form of pneumonia, according to her daughter.

Shayla Kelly Schrepfer took to Instagram on Wednesday night with an update and said: ‘Basically, at the beginning of this week we were so excited, seeing so much progress and then yesterday, we had a pretty scary setback.

‘She is still in ICU, and we’re just working through some things as far as her setback goes.

‘Just wanted to give an update there. She had a better day today which is great – she is really exhausted. 

‘Thank you guys again for the support. I’m getting so many messages and emails and it’s so great to see people love on her.’

Mary Lou Retton has had ‘a pretty scary setback’ in her battle against a rare form of pneumonia

The 55-year-old’s daughter gave an update on her condition on Wednesday evening 

Retton’s family had set up a spotfund page tp help cover the medical bills which on Wednesday night passed over $450,000 – the target was $50,000.

Retton shot to stardom in 1984 by winning five Olympic medals in Los Angeles Games. It emerged last week that she was in hospital with a rare form of pneumonia. 

But the family offered fans hope this weekend as they shared that the former gymnast was making progress in her recovery. 

In an Instagram post Schrepfer, the eldest of Retton’s four daughters, called her mother’s progress ‘truly remarkable.’

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‘Although she remains in the ICU, her path to recovery is steadily unfolding,’ Schrepfer wrote of Retton. ‘Her fighting spirit is truly shining!

‘Her breathing is becoming stronger and her reliance on machines is diminishing.’ 

Before that, her other daughter McKenna Kelley said Retton was ‘not able to breathe on her own’ and had been in the intensive care unit for more than a week. 

She asked both for prayers and for donations to a crowdfunding site, saying her mother did not have medical insurance.

Retton, 55, captured five medals (one gold, two silver, two bronze) at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. She made history by becoming the first American woman to win gold in the individual all-around competition. 

She won two Olympic silvers and bronzes that same year in addition to her gold medal 

Retton made history as the first American woman to win all-around gold at the 1984 Olympics

Following her retirement, she was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997. 

Three years ago she became the first woman to be selected into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame.

Retton, who once made a cameo in ‘Baywatch’ along with other movies and TV shows, even has a road and park named in her honor back in her hometown of Fairmont West Virginia. 

She also served on the President’s Council for Physical Fitness and Sports under former President George W. Bush.