Mary Lou Retton, once celebrated as America’s Olympic champion, has recently returned to the spotlight for troubling reasons. On May 17, in her hometown of Fairmont, West Virginia, the 1984 gymnastics gold medalist was arrested for DUI.
Police responded to reports of a Porsche driving erratically and found Retton, 57, in an AutoZone parking lot showing signs of intoxication, including slurred speech and the smell of alcohol. She refused to take a blood test, and officers found a bottle of wine nearby. Retton was charged with one misdemeanor DUI and released on a $1,500 recognizance bond.
This incident follows a serious health scare in October 2023, when Retton was hospitalized in intensive care with a rare form of pneumonia. After her daughter revealed she was uninsured, a fundraising campaign on Spotfund went viral, raising over $459,000. Retton later stated that all funds were spent on medical bills, with any remaining money donated to the American Lung Association.