It was 1984. Los Angeles. That perfect 10. We all remember Mary Lou Retton as the "America’s Sweetheart" with the bouncy hair and the smile that could power a small city. She was the first American woman to win the individual all-around gold. Pure legend.
But lately, the headlines haven't been about vault landings. They’ve been messy. People are whispering. The search bars are filled with one specific, heavy question: is Mary Lou Retton an alcoholic?
Honestly, the answer isn't a simple "yes" or "no" because life—and health—is rarely that tidy. Especially when you're a 57-year-old icon living under a microscope.
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The Incident That Started the Rumors
For years, there was nothing. Mary Lou was the picture of health and suburban motherhood. Then came May 17, 2025.
According to police reports out of Fairmont, West Virginia, a Porsche with Texas plates was spotted driving erratically—basically "all over the roadway." When officers finally caught up with the vehicle in an AutoZone parking lot, they found Retton inside.
The details in the criminal complaint were pretty grim for a national hero:
- Officers reported a screw-top bottle of wine sitting in the passenger seat.
- She was allegedly slurring her words.
- She failed three standard field sobriety tests.
- Most notably, she refused both a roadside breath test and a blood test.
She was charged with a misdemeanor: driving under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances, or drugs. In June 2025, she entered a no contest plea to a non-aggravated DUI charge. She paid a fine and took "full responsibility."
Is One DUI the Same as Alcoholism?
This is where the nuance comes in. A DUI is a legal fact. Alcoholism is a medical diagnosis.
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Medical experts, like those at the Mayo Clinic, define Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) as a chronic brain disorder characterized by an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite adverse social, occupational, or health consequences. One mistake—even a public, dangerous one—doesn't automatically mean someone is an alcoholic.
However, the "why" behind the incident is what has fans worried.
The 2023 Health Crisis and the Aftermath
You have to look at what happened before the arrest to understand the context. In October 2023, Mary Lou nearly died.
It wasn't a slow decline. It was a "medical mystery." She was diagnosed with a rare form of pneumonia. It was so severe that her daughters were told to come to the hospital to say their final goodbyes. She was in the ICU, unable to breathe on her own, and had no health insurance at the time.
"My lungs are so scarred. It will be a lifetime of recovery," Retton told People in July 2024. "My physicality was the only thing I had and it was taken away from me. It's embarrassing."
The Physical Toll
Even a year after the scare, she was still using a nasal cannula to get supplemental oxygen. Imagine being a gold medalist whose body was a finely tuned machine, and suddenly you can’t even walk across a room without a tube in your nose.
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The Mental Toll
She admitted to struggling mentally after the near-death experience. Depression and PTSD are common after a major ICU stay. Sometimes, people turn to "self-medication" to deal with that kind of trauma.
During her 2025 arrest, bodycam footage actually showed her struggling to breathe and needing her oxygen while trying to perform the sobriety tests. It was a heartbreaking scene—a former world-class athlete gasping for air while being questioned by police.
What Mary Lou Says About It
She hasn't used the word "alcoholic." In her statement after the DUI, she focused on the mistake itself.
"I take full responsibility for my actions. What happened was completely unacceptable. I make no excuses," she said. She mentioned being committed to "making positive changes."
Whether those changes include a formal rehab program or just staying off the road isn't public knowledge. She’s human. She’s 57. She’s had over 30 orthopedic surgeries from her gymnastics days. Chronic pain plus a near-death lung crisis is a lot for anyone to carry.
What Most People Get Wrong
The internet loves a "fall from grace" story. But labeling someone based on a single criminal complaint is risky.
Some people point to the $460,000 raised by her daughters on Spotfund during her pneumonia battle. When the DUI news broke, there was a lot of "Where did that money go?" anger. Her family clarified that the funds went to medical bills and that any surplus would go to charity, but the optics of the arrest certainly didn't help her reputation.
Actionable Insights for Moving Forward
If you’re following this story because you care about Mary Lou, or if you see yourself in her struggles, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- DUI isn't always AUD: One incident is a legal failure; a pattern is a medical issue. We don't have enough public information to confirm a "pattern" of alcoholism for Retton.
- Health crises are triggers: Major medical trauma (like her 2023 pneumonia) often leads to mental health struggles. Support is more effective than judgment.
- The legal reality: Retton took a no-contest plea. This means she accepted the punishment without technically admitting guilt, a common legal move that still results in a record.
- Resources exist: If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use or the mental weight of a chronic illness, the SAMHSA National Helpline (1-800-662-HELP) is a confidential, 24/7 resource.
Mary Lou Retton is clearly in a season of "lifetime recovery," as she put it. Whether that recovery is just for her lungs or for her relationship with alcohol remains her private battle to fight. For now, the public record shows a woman who reached the highest heights, hit the lowest lows, and is trying to navigate the messy middle.