Olympic Icon Mary Lou Retton Finally Addresses Recent DUI Arrest

Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton is speaking out for the first time following her May 17 arrest on a DUI charge in Marion County, West Virginia.

The 57-year-old retired gymnast was charged with a misdemeanor for driving under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances, or drugs.

Retton was found behind the wheel of her Porsche in an AutoZone parking lot after witnesses reported erratic driving behavior. Officers at the scene noted a strong odor of alcohol, slurred speech, and discovered an open screw-top bottle of wine in the vehicle.

Mary Lou Retton failed all three phases of a standard field sobriety test and was later released after posting a $1,500 bond.

In the weeks following the incident, Retton remained silent and reportedly out of contact with family members in her hometown of Fairmont. Some relatives told "Good Morning America" and Daily Mail they were unaware she was even in town until the arrest surfaced in the news.

Now, Retton is addressing the situation publicly.

In a statement shared with PEOPLE through her attorney Edmund J. Rollo, she said, “I take full responsibility for my actions. 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.”

She added, “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.”

On Tuesday, June 10, Retton appeared in court and formally entered a no contest plea to a non-aggravated DUI charge. She was fined $100, the standard penalty for first-time, non-aggravated DUI offenses in that jurisdiction.

Her attorney emphasized that Retton “asks for privacy as she moves forward with her personal and professional life.”

Retton’s statement comes amid growing concerns about her whereabouts in the days following her arrest.

As The Blast previously reported, neighbors say her primary residence, a $550,000 home in Boerne, Texas, appears abandoned, with flyers and packages piling up at the doorstep and no sign of activity. According to those close to her, even loved ones have been unsure of her location in recent weeks.

Although it's still unclear where Retton is currently staying, her appearance in court on June 10 provided some reassurance to her family, confirming that she is safe.

Just months before her DUI arrest made headlines, Olympic legend Retton was in a very different kind of fight, one for her life.

In October 2023, Retton was hospitalized in the ICU with a rare and severe form of pneumonia, her daughter McKenna revealed at the time. “My amazing mom, Mary Lou, has a very rare form of pneumonia and is fighting for her life,” McKenna wrote in a now-deleted statement, per PEOPLE.

“She is not able to breathe on her own. She’s been in the ICU for over a week now,” she added, also noting that her mother was uninsured and linking a Spotfund campaign to help cover medical costs. The public quickly rallied around the beloved gold medalist, raising funds and offering words of support during the frightening ordeal.

In a July 2024 interview with PEOPLE, Retton opened up about her ongoing recovery, sharing that the illness left her with lasting lung damage and a daily dependence on supplemental oxygen. “God wasn’t ready for me yet,” she said. “But my life will never be the same.”

“It’s been really hard,” Retton admitted. “My lungs are so scarred. It will be a lifetime of recovery. My physicality was the only thing I had, and it was taken away from me. It’s embarrassing.”

The former gymnast shares four daughters, Shayla, 30, McKenna, 28, Skyla, 24, and Emma, 23, with her ex-husband Shannon Kelley, a former college football quarterback turned real estate developer. The two divorced in 2018 after nearly three decades of marriage.