Associated Press, Author at West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Vandalism And Wintry Weather Knock Out Phone Service To Emergency Centers In W.Va.

Phone service was knocked out to emergency call centers for several hours in numerous West Virginia counties on Tuesday. Residents in some counties were advised to use alternative business numbers to call during the 911 outage.

Phone service was knocked out to emergency call centers for several hours in numerous West Virginia counties on Tuesday, officials said.

Residents in some counties were advised to use alternative business numbers to call during the 911 outage.

Frontier Communications spokesperson Chrissy Murray said its fiber optic lines experienced two cuts in northern West Virginia, one involving copper vandalism and the other due to damage related to a winter storm.

“The combination of the cuts is what caused the 911 service issue but we worked quickly to restore so that all of our customers had access to emergency services,” Murray said in a statement.

Frontier is planning to offer up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those involved in the copper theft, Murray said, adding that tips should be called in to Frontier and local law enforcement.

While 911 calls were going through Tuesday evening in Kanawha County in the state capital of Charleston, the county sheriff’s office said other phone issues remained unresolved. The problem typically involved calls between Frontier landlines and another carrier’s cell phones. Some callers were experiencing busy signals or no response when dialing the sheriff’s office and other places, the office said in a news release.

The office advised callers to reach it using a landline until the issue is resolved.

Mary Lou Retton Says She’s ‘Overwhelmed’ With Love And Support As She Recovers From Rare Pneumonia

American gymnastics legend Mary Lou Retton says she is “overwhelmed with all the love and support” she has received and is slowly recovering with family after being hospitalized with a rare form of pneumonia earlier this month.

Retton, 55, posted a statement Monday on Instagram in her first public comment since being in intensive care in a Texas hospital. Her daughter, McKenna Kelley, said then that the first American woman to win the Olympic all-around title in 1984 was “fighting for her life” and unable to breathe on her own.

Retton said she was “beyond blessed for the opportunity to make this statement” and is staying positive through what she knows is a long and slow recovery process. She requested privacy and added that she will share more information about her health when the time is right and hopefully help others facing the same battle.

Retton ended the post saying, “I love you all. – MLR.”

Kelley started a fundraising campaign on Retton’s behalf to cover medical expenses because she does not have health insurance. The campaign has generated more than 8,300 donations totaling nearly $460,000.

Retton was 16 when she became an icon of the U.S. Olympic movement during her gold medal-winning performance at the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles. Retton, who grew up in Fairmont, West Virginia, also won two silver and two bronze medals at those Olympics to help bring gymnastics — a sport long dominated by eastern European powers like Romania and the Soviet Union — into the mainstream in the U.S.

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Mary Lou Retton In ‘recovery mode’ After Hospital Stay For Pneumonia

American gymnastics icon Mary Lou Retton has returned home following a lengthy hospital stay because of pneumonia, her daughter said Monday.

Shayla Kelley Schrepfer, the oldest of Retton’s four daughters, posted an update on Retton’s condition on Instagram nearly two weeks after the family disclosed that the former Olympic all-around champion was in intensive care.

The 55-year-old Retton is now in “recovery mode,” according to Schrepfer.

“We still have a long road of recovery ahead of us,” Schrepfer wrote. “But baby steps.”

The family disclosed earlier this month that Retton — who became the first American female gymnast to win the Olympic all-around title at the 1984 Los Angeles Games — was “fighting for her life” and unable to breathe on her own.

Donations have poured into a fundraiser the family set up to help offset Retton’s medical expenses after the family said she didn’t have medical insurance. There’s been more than 8,300 donations totaling nearly $460,000 by Monday afternoon.

Retton was 16 when she became an icon of the U.S. Olympic movement during her gold medal-winning performance at the 1984 Summer Games. The native of Fairmont, West Virginia, also won two silver and two bronze medals at those Olympics to help bring gymnastics — a sport long dominated by eastern European powers like Romania and the Soviet Union — into the mainstream in the U.S.

Mary Lou Retton’s Family Says She Is Making ‘Remarkable’ Progress

The family of Olympic gymnastics champion Mary Lou Retton says she is making “remarkable” progress in her battle with a rare form of pneumonia that landed her in intensive care.

McKenna Kelley, one of Retton’s four daughters, posted an update on Instagram Saturday that said the 55-year-old Retton’s breathing is becoming stronger and her “path to recovery is steadily progressing.”

“Though it’s a lengthy journey, witnessing these improvements is incredibly heartening,” Kelley wrote. “She’s beginning to respond to treatments.”

The family disclosed earlier this week that Retton — who became the first American female gymnast to win the Olympic all-around title at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics — was “fighting for her life” and unable to breath on her own after being diagnosed with pneumonia.

Donations have poured into a fundraiser the family set up to help offset Retton’s medical expenses after the family said she didn’t have medical insurance. There’s been more than 7,500 donations totaling over $415,000 by Saturday afternoon.

Olympic Champion Gymnast Mary Lou Retton Remains In Intensive Care As Donations Pour In

Olympic gymnastics champion Mary Lou Retton remained in intensive care on Wednesday while dealing with a rare form of pneumonia.

Retton’s daughters posted a message on Instagram saying their mother “continues to fight” and thanked the thousands who have donated money to help take care of Retton’s medical bills.

Shayla Kelley Schrepfer, the oldest of Retton’s four daughters, said in a video update on Instagram that the family was “overwhelmed” by the outpouring of support for Retton, 55.

“We didn’t even realize that there are so many people out there that love her just as much as we do,” Schrepfer said. “And it’s been a really hard time for our family. And so just seeing that people love her like that and showing her that support has just meant the world to us and to her, so thank you.”

Nearly 5,000 people had donated over $275,000 in the 24 hours since her family launched an online fundraiser on Tuesday. The family said Retton does not have medical insurance and indicated they were asking for donations — with an initial goal of $50,000 — to help pay for Retton’s care.

Schrepfer declined to get into specifics about Retton’s situation, saying only that it’s “going to be a day-to-day process.”

Retton was 16 years old when the Fairmont, West Virginia, native made history at the Los Angeles Olympics, scoring perfect 10s on floor exercise and vault in the final two rotations to become the first American woman to win the Olympic all-around title.

She ended the Olympics with five medals — two silvers and two bronzes to go with the all-around gold — and became a pop culture sensation while earning the nickname “America’s Sweetheart.” Her Olympic success made her the first female athlete to appear on the cover of a Wheaties box.

Retton retired from competition in 1986. Her newfound fame made her a household name in the U.S. She made several film and television appearances, including a stint on “Dancing with the Stars.”

She and her husband, Shannon Kelley, divorced in 2018.

Olympic Gymnastics Champion Mary Lou Retton Is In Intensive Care With Pneumonia

Retton’s daughter, McKenna Kelley, shared Retton’s condition in an Instagram post on Tuesday. Kelley said the 55-year-old Retton, who became the first American woman to win the Olympic all-around title, is “fighting for her life” and not able to breathe on her own.

Olympic gymnastics champion Mary Lou Retton has pneumonia and is in intensive care in a Texas hospital.

Kelley started a fundraising campaign on Retton’s behalf for medical expenses. Kelley wrote that Retton does not currently have medical insurance.

Retton was 16 years old when she became an icon of the U.S. Olympic movement during her gold medal-winning performance at the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles. Retton, who grew up in Fairmont, West Virginia, also won two silver and two bronze medals at those Olympics to help bring gymnastics — a sport long dominated by eastern European powers like Romania and the Soviet Union — into the mainstream in the U.S.

Retton, a mother of four, currently lives in Texas. She retired from competitive gymnastics in 1986 and did numerous commercial endorsements. She also made several film and television appearances, including a stint on “Dancing with the Stars.”

She and her husband, Shannon Kelley, divorced in 2018.