Why is Mary Lou Retton on oxygen? Former Olympian sparks concerns over health following DUI arrest body cam video release

Former Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton, famous for winning gold at the 1984 Los Angeles Games and capturing hearts throughout the world, is making headlines again, this time, however, not for anything having to do with athletic prowess.

Her ongoing health concerns, notably her reliance on supplemental oxygen, have become topics of public conversation since footage from her May 2025 DUI arrest was made public for the first time recently.

The footage shows the 57-year-old visibly shaken while taking a field sobriety test in Fairmont, West Virginia. Disoriented, panting heavily, and reaching for an oxygen nasal tube, Retton continues to breathe heavily.

Legendary Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton speaks exclusively to @hodakotb about the fight for her life with a rare form of pneumonia that landed her in the ICU for a month and the outpouring support from her fans. “I have so much to look forward to. I’m a fighter.” pic.twitter.com/WiYj2BKbIl

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) January 8, 2024

Retton told officers she needed oxygen because of her medical history. It is consonant with private comments she made in 2024, when she announced that she had had a serious, rare form of pneumonia very late in 2023. The disease had put her in the I.C.U. for close to a month, causing permanent lung damage. Months after her release, Retton said she still needed daily oxygen.

"They still don’t know what’s wrong with me. They’re calling it a rare form of pneumonia... My lungs are pretty scarred up and they’re gonna stay that way forever,” Mary Lou Retton told Entertainment Tonight.

Her struggle with pneumonia, as well as her divorce and financial woes, led to speculations that she had no health insurance at the time, which has further complicated her public perception (Distractify). Her daughters started a crowdfunding campaign last October to raise money for her medical expenses, which garnered nationwide attention.

A look into the recently released video involving Mary Lou Retton's arrest

Retton’s arrest video has garnered a lot of attention from fans and the media. At one point in the video, she exclaims, “Oh my God” while balancing on one foot and counting, only to topple a few seconds later. According to the New York Post, she was struggling to breathe throughout the video.

I don't know what's more heartbreaking, seeing MaryLou Retton in handcuffs or that she now requires to use of an oxygen tank.



The incident happened in mid-May 2025. The DUI was ruled non-aggravated, and the legal consequences were typical for a first-time offense.

Retton has… pic.twitter.com/lQgfzmMmSl

— Girl patriot (@Girlpatriot1974) July 9, 2025

In the footage, Mary Lou Retton is also heard alluding to her former athletic prowess, telling officers she is an “Olympic gold medalist.” At the police station later, she supposedly addressed the officers, saying:

"Y’all are terrible. I nearly died from double pneumonia. I’ll die here, and you guys will live with that. I’m crazy right now, I’m so lightheaded."

Although a lot of fans are super angry about the DUI, many have also been sympathetic of her declining health and are worried about her health rather than being angry about what she did.

Court records show that she pleaded no contest to a non-aggravated DUI charge and was fined $100, but the larger conversation has been centered on Mary Lou Retton's vulnerability and health complications.