Iconic Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton charged with DUI
Former Olympic gymnast and individual all-around gold medallist Mary Lou Retton has been arrested and charged with a DUI.
The retired athlete, 57, was arrested in Marion County, W.Va. — her home state — earlier this month for 'driving under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances, or drugs,' according to the West Virginia judiciary.
She was later released after posting a US$1,500 bond.
Retton shot to fame after winning five medals at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, including a gold medal in the all-around category, making her the first individual American Olympic gymnast to win a medal in the sport.
She famously scored a perfect 10 in the vault event.
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U.S. gymnast Mary Lou Retton competes in the vault competition during the Games of the XXIII Olympiad in the 1984 Summer Olympics at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, Calif. Focus on Sport / Getty Images
Her win landed her an ad campaign with Wheaties, with her face plastered across its cereal boxes, and catalyzed a surge in the sport's popularity in the U.S.
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After retiring from gymnastics, Retton appeared in several films and TV shows. She was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997. In 2020, Retton became the first woman to be selected into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame.
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Athlete Mary Lou Retton attends the Women's Sports Foundation's 14th Annual Salute to Women in Sports Awards on Oct. 4, 1993, at The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. Ron Galella / Getty Images
Retton made headlines again last year when her daughter, McKenna Kelley, announced that the former Olympian was in the ICU battling a severe case of pneumonia, saying in a social media post that her mother was 'fighting for her life' and was unable to breathe on her own.
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'Out of respect for her and her privacy, I will not disclose all details,' Kelley wrote. 'However, I will disclose that she is not insured.'
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Kelley looked to the public for donations, raising nearly $500,000 to cover medical costs. Retton, after several scares, recovered, but said she had 'faced death in the eyes' while receiving treatment in the ICU.
Despite receiving widespread support throughout her illness, some raised questions about the nature of her ailments and how the fundraised money was being spent.
In January 2024, having recovered from pneumonia, Retton appeared on NBC's Today for an interview with oxygen tubes in her nose. During the discussion, she recalled the traumatic month-long stint in intensive care and a situation where life support was being considered.
Around the time of the interview, Kelley told USA Today Sports that her mother was unable to obtain insurance because of pre-existing medical conditions, which she said included 'over 30 orthopedic surgeries' and 'four hip replacements.'
During her interview, Retton disclosed to NBC that she was able to get medical insurance. Her family said that any unused donated fan funds would be given to a charity, but no further details were ever provided.
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