Five-time Olympic medalist Mary Lou Retton is back in the news for unfortunate reasons.
Tuesday, bodycam footage of Retton’s May DUI arrest was shared, bringing Retton’s health into question. The former gymnastics superstar is shown needing an oxygen cannula to complete a field sobriety test and complains of discomfort stemming from orthopedic surgeries.
The developments are a large fall from grace for Retton, who, at 16, won a gold medal at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The West Virginia native’s stardom included several commercial endorsements, including her historic place as the first female athlete to grace the front of a Wheaties box.
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As concerns loom, here is more on Retton’s arrest and what is known about the health issues she continues to battle.
Mary Lou Retton arrest
Retton was arrested on a charge of Driving Under the Influence on May 17 in Marion County, W. Va.
An Associated Press report detailing the arrest cited a criminal complaint stating that Retton was in her car in an AutoZone parking lot with a screw-top bottle of wine in her passenger seat.
Retton entered a no-contest plea to a non-aggravated DUI charge and received a $100 fine.
“What happened was completely unacceptable. I make no excuses. To my family, friends and my fans: I have let you down, and for that I am deeply sorry,” Retton said in a statement to People Magazine, made through her attorney Edmund J. Rollo.
Mary Lou Retton arrest video
Bodycam footage of Retton’s arrest was shared on Tuesday, July 8.
The footage shows Retton taking a field sobriety test outside of an AutoZone. The 33-minute video also shows Retton as she is placed in handcuffs before being taken in and booked.
Why is Mary Lou Retton on oxygen?
Retton is on oxygen after a battle with pneumonia in 2023. At one point, it was believed that she would not survive the infection, which has had a lasting effect.
“My lungs are so scarred,” Retton told People Magazine in 2024. “It will be a lifetime of recovery.”
In addition to the aftereffects of pneumonia, Retton has also dealt with long COVID, which has also affected her lungs.
Mary Lou Retton health
Health issues have plagued Retton in recent years.
In addition to requiring frequent oxygen, Retton is on various medications and has undergone 30 orthopedic surgeries, according to the New York Post. In the arrest video, Retton mentions having undergone shoulder surgery and she has also undergone operations on her hips.
How old is Mary Lou Retton?
Retton is 57 years old. She was born on Jan. 24, 1968.
