Olympian Mary Lou Retton Breaks Silence on DUI Arrest
UPDATE: 6/10/25 at 6:45 p.m. ET — Retton broke her silence on Tuesday, June 10, after being arrested on a DUI charge in West Virginia last month.
“I take full responsibility for my actions. What happened was completely unacceptable,” she told Us Weekly in a statement. “I make no excuses. To my family, friends and my fans: I have let you down, and for that I am deeply sorry.”
The former Olympian explained: “I am determined to learn and grow from this experience, and I am committed to making positive changes in my life. I truly appreciate your concern, encouragement and continued support.”
Retton’s statement was released after she entered a no contest plea to a non-aggravated DUI charge stemming from the incident in court on Tuesday. The athlete received a $100 fine and according to her attorney Edmund J. Rollo, she is asking for “privacy as she moves forward with her personal and professional life.”
Original story below:
Olympic gold-medalist Mary Lou Retton was reportedly arrested for driving under the influence in West Virginia earlier this month.
According to documents obtained by People on Monday, May 26, Retton, 57, was arrested on Saturday, May 17, on a single count of “driving under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances, or drugs.” The outlet cited records from the West Virginia Magistrate Court.
Retton quickly posted a personal recognizance bond of $1,500 that the court issued the day of her arrest.
Us Weekly has reached out to Retton’s team for comment.
Olympian Mary Lou Retton Was Almost ‘On Life Support’ During Health Scare
The retired gymnast made history at the 1984 Summer Olympics when she became the first American woman to win gold in the individual all-around competition.
In October 2023, she spent two weeks in the ICU while battling a rare form of pneumonia. At the time, her daughters started a crowdsourcing fund to pay her medical bills. They received online criticism for the effort to help their mom.
“They didn’t deserve that,” Retton told Entertainment Tonight in May 2024. “They were just trying to take care of me. I don’t care about the naysayers. There are trolls everywhere. It’s what makes us America. Everybody’s got an opinion, but it is what it is.”
During her interview with ET, Retton revealed that her financial situation took a hit after her 2018 divorce from Shannon Kelley and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Mary Lou Retton Addresses Backlash Over Fundraiser for Her Medical Bills
“[When] COVID hit, literally COVID hit — our job is to be near people and talk to them and so there was no work whatsoever,” she said of her speaking engagements slowing down. “Let’s say that the height of my fame was years ago and I [was] just doing enough to make it, doing enough to pay my bills.”
Retton shares daughters Shayla, 30, McKenna, 28, Skyla, 25, and Emma, 22, with Kelley. Shortly after Retton was hospitalized with pneumonia, McKenna started a spotfund, which far surpassed its initial $50,000 fundraising goal.
Olympian Mary Lou Retton Slurred, Had Wine in Passenger Seat Before Arrest
“It’s a very long recovery, I’m still on oxygen, and I had a bit of a relapse a while ago, but I’m back and regulated,” Retton shared last year. “It’s just more discouragement than anything because, you know, patience isn’t one of my strong skill sets,” she said. “I’m tired of this thing up my nose. … I’m a speaker and haven’t been able to work because I don’t know if I can get up on stage and do an hour-long talk like I’ve normally done for 40 years. That’s frustrating.”
Despite her challenges, Retton expressed gratitude for her life and her daughters’ support.
“They were strong,” she recalled. “I can’t imagine them seeing me on my deathbed, and I’m not exaggerating when I say that I was. They inspire me, and they do every day. They’re extraordinary young women. They’re my biggest accomplishments. Take my five medals, I’ll take my daughters over that any time.”
