PNEUMONIA. WHILE SHE'S NOT OUT OF THE WOODS, MARY LOU WANTED TO SHARE A MESSAGE OF GRATITUDE AND HOPE. >> YOU KNOW, I JUST THOUGHT I WAS A WASHED UP OLD ATHLETE, BUT THE LOVE WAS JUST -- IT TOUCHED ME. IT TOUCHED ME. >> TO HEAR YOU SAY THE WORDS, "I THOUGHT I WAS A WASHED UP OLD ATHLETE" LIKE HITS ME IN THE SOUL BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ARE AWARE, BUT YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO PEOPLE MARK TIME WITH. YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO PEOPLE HAVE -- YOU MADE SUCH AN INDELIBLE MARK ON PEOPLE'S LIVES. AND I'M SURE YOU HAVE FELT THE WAVE. >> I HAVE. I HAVE. I MEAN, NOW THAT I'M ALIVE AND I MADE IT THROUGH, THERE WAS SO MANY MORE POSITIVES THAN NEGATIVES. >> TO SEE MARY LOU RETTON'S FAMOUS SMILE, YOU CAN'T HELP BUT THINK ABOUT HER STANDING ON TOP OF THAT PODIUM IN 1984 IN THAT RED, WHITE AND BLUE LEOTARD AND PIXIE HAIRCUT. THE AMERICAN WOMAN EVER TO WIN A GOLD MEDAL IN GYMNASTICS AND THE PRIDE AMERICA FELT FOR HER. SHE WAS ON EVERY MAGAZINE COVER, IN EVERY AD. >> YOU ONLY GET OUT OF IT WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT, SO ENERGIZE IT. >> AND EVEN THE FIRST WOMAN ATHLETE EVER ON A WHEATIES CEREAL BOX. SHE WAS AMERICA'S SWEETHEART, AND SHE SET THE STAGE FOR THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICAN WOMEN'S GYMNASTICS, WHICH CONTINUES ITS HISTORIC RUN TODAY. >> THAT DREAM TO STAND UP THERE ON THE MEDAL STAND AND WATCH THE FLAG RISE AND THE NATIONAL ANTHEM PLAY, THAT'S WHAT I WORKED A LIFETIME FOR, FOR THAT FEELING, AND IT WILL NEVER GO AWAY. >> AND THAT WARM FEELING FOR MARY LOU HAS NEVER GONE AWAY FOR MANY, WHICH IS WHY IT WAS SO TROUBLING WHEN HER DAUGHTERS ANNOUNCED IN OCTOBER THAT THEIR MOTHER WAS FIGHTING FOR HER LIFE IN A TEXAS HOSPITAL WITH A RARE FORM OF PNEUMONIA. MARY LOU'S ELDEST DAUGHTER JOINED US FOR THIS INTERVIEW BECAUSE, QUITE SIMPLY, MARY LOU DOESN'T REMEMBER MUCH OF HER MONTH LONG HOSPITAL STAY. YOU HAVE A BREATHING APPARATUS, OXYGEN. I FEEL LIKE YOU ARE IN A VULNERABLE STATE. >> VERY MUCH SO. I'M VERY PRIVATE. >> I KNOW. >> AND TO COME OUT AND TALK ABOUT IT, USUALLY MY INTERVIEWS ARE, OH, YES, IT FELT GREAT TO WIN THE OLYMPICS, YOU KNOW? THIS IS DIFFERENT. THIS IS SERIOUS, AND THIS IS LIFE. AND 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. >> IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE AND HAVE BEEN A VERY HEALTHY HUMAN BEING. >> YES. >> HOW ARE YOU FEELING IN OCTOBER BEFORE ALL THIS HAPPENED? >> THE DAY BEFORE -- >> WE GOT OUR NAILS DONE. >> WE GOT OUR NAILS DONE. >> RIGHT. I WAS FEELING TIRED. BUT I'M THINKING I TURN 56. >> YOU WERE VERY OUT OF BREATH. >> OUT OF BREATH. >> THE NEXT DAY MARY LOU WAS SUPPOSED TO MEET HER DAUGHTERS AT A FOOTBALL GAME IN DALLAS HOURS FROM HOME. SHE NEVER SHOWED UP. >> I COULDN'T. I LITERALLY WAS LAYING ON MY BEDROOM FLOOR, AND I SAID I CAN'T DO THIS. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH ME. >> WHAT DID YOU FEEL? >> I COULDN'T BREATHE. >> BECAUSE YOUR BREATH. >> I STILL CAN'T. BUT YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT BIG DEEP BREATH IN. >> YOU COULDN'T DO IT. >> I STILL CAN'T DO IT. >> SO YOU WERE BY YOURSELF AT HOME? >> I WAS BY MYSELF AT HOME. >> BUT THE LUCIEST OF CIRCUMSTANCES, A NEIGHBOR NOTICED A CAR DOOR LEFT OPEN IN HER DRIVEWAY AND WENT TO ALERT MARY LOU. >> AND SHE CAME IN THE HOUSE. SHE KNOWS MY CODE. AND SAW ME AND FOUND ME. >> OH, MY GOSH. >> AND PRETTY MUCH SAVED MY LIFE. I MEAN, I WAS -- WHAT DID SHE SAY? WHITE, BLUE? I DON'T REMEMBER IT. >> DO YOU REMEMBER HER SEEING IT? >> I REMEMBER THEM COMING IN, BUT THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT. >> MARY LOU WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL ER BY THE NEIGHBOR WHERE SHE WAS ADMITTED AND DIAGNOSED WITH PNEUMONIA. >> IT WAS A BAD EXPERIENCE. >> IT WASN'T THE GREATEST EXPERIENCE. >> WHAT MADE IT BAD? >> I WASN'T BEING TREATED. >> IT WASN'T TAKING US SERIOUSLY AS I THINK THAT IT WAS. >> SO A COUPLE OF DAYS YOU WERE THERE. >> AND THEY SENT HER HOME. >> THEY LET YOU GO HOME. >> YES. THIS IS WHEN THINGS TAKE A TURN. >> THE NEXT DAY, SHE DISCOVERED HER MOTHER ALMOST UNRESPONSIVE AND RUSHED HER TO A BIGGER HOSPITAL IN A NEARBY CITY, A NAME THEY WISH TO KEEP PRIVATE. AFTER DISCOVERING HER OXYGEN LEVELS WERE DANGEROUSLY LOW AND DROPPING, MARY LOU WAS IMMEDIATELY ADMITTED TO THE ICU WHERE THE MEDICAL TEAM WORKED FURIOUSLY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG. >> SHE WAS TESTED FOR EVERYTHING. COVID, FLU, YOU NAME IT. >> RSV, ALL OF THE THINGS. AND THERE WAS NOTHING. >> EVERYTHING NEGATIVE. >> AND MY X-RAIES. >> YOU CAN'T EVEN SEE HER LUNGS. >> JUST COMPLETELY WHITE. COMPLETELY WHITE. I'VE NEVER HAD A LUNG ISSUE IN MY LIFE. >> AFTER A WEEK OF PLUMMETING OXYGEN LEVELS, MARY LOU'S FAMILY SAYS HER MEDICAL TEAM DISCUSSED PUTTING HER ON A VENTILATOR AND ADVISED THEM TO PREPARE FOR THE WORST. >> THEY LITERALLY SAID -- >> YEAH, SHE TOLD ME YOU NEED TO GET YOUR SISTER HERE. >> GET EMMA. >> BECAUSE? >> BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S GOING TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE LIGHT. >> LITERALLY, LITERALLY. >> McKENNA AND I PUT OUR HANDS ON HER AND SAID A PRAYER. >> THEY WERE SAYING THEIR GOOD-BYES TO ME. I CAN'T EVEN. I'M SO SORRY. >> IT WAS CRAZY. IT WAS CRAZY. >> WHAT DID YOU SAY TO YOUR MOM? >> I JUST REMEMBER LOVING ON YOU AND GIVING YOU A HUG. AND McKENNA KEPT SAYING THINGS LIKE, IT'S OKAY. YOU CAN GO. >> OH, MY GOSH. >> YEAH. YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE ME CRY, UGLY CRY SO -- >> TO KNOW THAT YOUR MOM IS IN A DIFFICULT SITUATION IS HARD ENOUGH. TO WONDER HOW YOU ARE GOING TO PAY FOR IT, TAKES THAT PROBLEM AND COMPOUNDS IT BY A MILLION. >> YEAH. >> WHAT WAS GOING ON FOR YOU WHEN THAT WAS HAPPENING? >> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. WE WERE JUST THINKING, YOU KNOW, IF SHE PULLS THROUGH, THE LAST THING WE WANT HER TO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IS PAYING OFF THESE BILLS OR DOING ANYTHING LIKE THAT. >> MARY LOU'S DAUGHTERS CREATED AN ONLINE FUNDRAISER DISCLOSING THAT MARY LOU DID NOT HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE. >> A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE SURPRISED THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE INSURANCE. LIKE AND ALSO KIND OF SADDENED. IT IS LIKE HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT MARY LOU RETTON, WHO IS AMERICA'S SWEETHEART, ISN'T TAKEN CARE OF IN THAT WAY. >> WELL, I MEAN, WHEN COVID HIT AND AFTER MY DIVORCE AND ALL MY PRE-EXISTING -- I'VE HAD OVER 30 OPERATIONS OF ORTHOPAEDIC STUFF. I COULDN'T AFFORD IT. COULDN'T AFFORD IT. I COULDN'T AFFORD IT. >> THAT MUST BE SO SAD. >> BUT WHO WOULD EVEN KNOW THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME? THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE. I COULDN'T AFFORD IT. >> OH, MY GOSH. >> CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT? >> YOU KNOW WHAT, IT DOES SHOW YOU THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ARE ALL ALIKE IN SO MANY WAYS. >> YES. YES. LIFE GOES ON. THINGS HAPPEN. AND I JUST WASN'T ABLE TO DO IT. I'M ALL SET NOW. >> YOU HAVE INSURANCE? YOU'RE GOOD NOW? >> YES. YES. AS MARY LOU'S DAUGHTERS PRAYED OVER HER BED, DOCTORS SAME IN WITH A LAST DITCH IDEA TO PUMP OXYGEN THROUGH HER NOSE. >> SO THEN WHAT HAPPENED? >> YOU KNOW, HODA, YOU KNOW MY MOM. SHE'S A FIGHTER. SHE'S THE ONE IN A MILLION THAT WINS THE OLYMPICS. BUT SHE'S ALSO THE ONE IN A MILLION THAT WILL GET SOME RARE FORM OF PNEUMONIA THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS BUT SHE'LL MAKE IT THROUGH. >> MARY LOU'S LUNGS HEALED ENOUGH FOR DOCTORS TO DISCUSS COMING HOME. >> THEY DID TELL YOU IF YOU COULD WALK DOWN THE HALL WITH YOUR OXYGEN YOU COULD GO HOME. >> YES, YES. >> SO I KNOW WHAT YOU DID. YOU'RE LIKE, GIVE IT TO ME. THAT MEANS CHRISTMAS WAS HERE. >> CHRISTMAS WAS HERE. >> WHAT A GIFT. OH, MY WORD. >> YOU KNOW, NOT GREAT YET. I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE A REALLY LONG ROAD. I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG I'LL INDEFINITELY NEED THE OXYGEN. BUT YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW BLESSED AND HOW GRATEFUL I WAS FOR THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. >> AND GRATITUDE FOR THE OVERWHELMING LOVE AND SUPPORT SHE RECEIVED WHILE IN THE HOSPITAL, BOTH FROM DONATIONS AND FROM PRAYERS. AND MARY LOU SAYS SHE WILL USE THAT JOY TO KEEP MOVING AHEAD IN HER RECOVERY. >> WHEN YOU FACE DEATH IN THE EYES, I HAVE SO MUCH TO LOOK FORWARD TO. >> YES, YOU DO. >> I'M A FIGHTER. >> YEAH, YOU ARE. >> AND I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE IT UP. I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE UP. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR ME. I DON'T KNOW IF I WILL HAVE LASTING ISSUES WITH MY LUNGS. THEY DON'T KNOW. I WISH I HAD ANSWERS. BUT I WOULD NEVER GIVE UP. IT'S NOT IN ME. >> WE'RE SO DESPERATE FOR ANSWERS. I WAS LOOKING AT HER AND THINKING, HOW CAN DOCTORS NOT FIGURE IT OUT? THEY KNOW IT IS A RARE FORM OF PNEUMONIA, BUT THEY'RE PERPLEXED. >> AND IT JUST CAME OUT OF THE BLUE LIKE THAT. >> SHE WAS PERFECTLY FINE ONE DAY AND THE NEXT DAY SHE'S ON HER BACK. SHE NOW HAS INSURANCE TO PAY FOR THINGS. SHE WON 40 YEARS AGO, ENDORSEMENT DEALS, YOU GO THROUGH A DIVORCE. THINGS HAPPEN IN LIFE. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU FIND YOURSELF GOING, WOW, I CAN'T BELIEVE I CAN'T PAY FOR THAT. >> WHAT SHE SAID AB
