Mary Lou Retton has returned HOME after ‘scary setback’ in her fight against rare form of pneumonia, as family reveal US Olympic legend is in ‘recovery mode’ after leaving the ICU

US Olympian Mary Lou Retton has returned home after a ‘scary setback’ in her battle against a rare form of pneumonia, her daughter said Monday.

Retton was hospitalized earlier this month, with her daughter, McKenna Kelley, revealing that her mom was ‘fighting for her life.’

But Kelley has now been able to share a hugely positive update about the former gymnast.

‘Mom is HOME and in recovery mode. We still have a long road of recovery ahead of us, but baby steps,’ she wrote on Instagram.

‘We are overwhelmed with the love and support from everyone. Grateful doesn’t scrape the surface of the posture of our hearts.’

The 55-year-old’s daughter gave another update on her condition on Monday afternoon

‘Thank you Jesus, thank you doctors and nurses, thank you to this loving community of support,’ she ended the statement.

Retton’s family had set up a Spotfund page to help cover the medical bills which last week passed over $450,000 – the target was $50,000.

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.

A different daughter of hers, Shayla Kelly Schrepfer, took to Instagram last Wednesday night with an update that there had been a ‘scary setback.’

‘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 wrote.

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

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

Her daughter, Shayla Kelley Schrepfer, shared an update on her mother’s condition

‘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.”

Prior to that, Schrepfer, the eldest of Retton’s four daughters, called her mother’s progress ‘truly remarkable.’

‘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.

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.