Mary Lou Retton, once celebrated as America’s Olympic sweetheart, was arrested in West Virginia for DUI on May 17. Police found her in a Porsche parked outside an AutoZone after reports of erratic driving. Officers smelled alcohol, observed slurred speech, and found a wine bottle in the car. She failed three sobriety tests and refused a blood test. Retton, 57, was released the same day on a $1,500 bond.
The arrest comes months after Retton’s near-fatal battle with pneumonia in late 2023. Her daughter revealed the former gymnast was uninsured and fighting for her life in ICU. A crowdfunding campaign raised over $450,000 for her treatment.
Retton later defended the fundraiser, stating unused donations would go to the American Lung Association. She described her recovery as painful and lifelong: “My lungs are so scarred… It’s embarrassing.”
A gold medalist at the 1984 Olympics, Retton became a national icon. But today, personal and legal troubles have shifted public perception, revealing a more complex story behind the legendary gymnast.