Gymnast Mary Lou Retton became America’s sweetheart when she brought home the Olympic gold in 1984. This was nothing short of making history. Years after this feat, the athlete is back in the headlines. But this time, for a very different reason. In the decades that followed her victory, her life has taken many roads. However, the recent one is a troubling turn. After years of staying mostly out of the spotlight, she’s now facing a situation that would come as a shock to her fans.

Retton, a native of Fairmont, West Virginia, became a national icon when she won the all-around gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics nearly four decades ago. Her two perfect 10s and comeback after a knee surgery made her an instant hero. She won the 1984 Olympic all-around gymnastics gold with a total score of 39.762.  Besides the all-around gold, she also won a silver in team competition and vault, and a bronze in uneven bars and floor exercise. After about 40 years, 9 months, and 23 days, the 57-year-old ended up getting arrested. But why?

Why was Mary Lou Retton arrested?

As per the reports by NewsChannel 8, Mary Lou Retton was arrested in West Virginia on May 17, 2025. Citing the West Virginia Magistrate Court system, the reports claim, “Mary Lou Retton, 57, was arrested in Marion County for ‘driving under influence of a*****l, controlled substances, or d***s.‘”

She was released the same day after posting a $1,500 personal recognizance bond set by Magistrate Melissa Linger. Retton has not issued a public statement regarding the recent DUI arrest. As reported, legal proceedings are expected to continue in Marion County.

Mary Lou Retton’s recent years

Two years after her Olympic feat, Mary retired from competitive gymnastics in 1986 and served as a commentator for NBC during the 1988 Olympics and contributed columns for USA Today during the 1992 and 1996 Games. But that is not where it ends, not only a gymnast and a commentator but an actress as well. Yes, search Scrooged from 1988 and Naked Gun 33 1/3 from 1994, and you will find Mary Lou Retton in the cast. She has made appearances on numerous television shows, including Guiding Light, Knots Landing, and in one of the highest-rated Baywatch episodes ever. In 2014, she appeared in the RadioShack Super Bowl XLVIII commercial The ‘80s Called.

She also did advertisements for brands like Wheaties, McDonald’s, and Vidal Sassoon. Retton then went on to marry former University of Texas quarterback Shannon Kelley in 1990, and they had four daughters together. The couple divorced in 2018. In 2023, Retton faced a severe health challenge when she was hospitalized with a rare form of pneumonia.

That is when the critics rolled in for her insurance, and later, she issued a statement. “They didn’t deserve that. They were just trying to take care of me,” Retton told Entertainment Tonight, “I don’t care about the naysayers. There are trolls everywhere. It’s what makes us America. Everybody’s got an opinion.”

Unfortunately, the disease left her in a state where she has trouble speaking and now relies on supplemental oxygen due to lasting lung damage. She described the pneumonia as a rare kind and herself as a medical mystery in an interview with people in 2024.