Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · June 6, 2025 · Entertainment

Olympic Heroine's Health Crisis: One Drink Alters Brain Chemistry

Mary Lou Retton's ex-brother-in-law has opened up on her arrest for driving under influence

EXCLUSIVE: Mary Lou Retton's Bitter Secret: Gymnastic Legend's Downfall Exposed by Her Own Family

Mary Lou Retton, the Olympic icon who conquered the world with her awe-inspiring gymnastics skills, has been hiding a shocking secret from her adoring fans. Behind closed doors, the beloved legend is struggling to survive – and it's all due to her own destructive choices.

In a bombshell revelation, Shaun Kelley, the brother of Retton's ex-husband Shannon, spills the beans on Mary Lou's alarming condition. According to him, even a single drink can send her brain chemistry into chaos, thanks to the slew of medications she's currently taking for long Covid and lung problems.

Shaun Kelley, the brother of Retton's ex-husband Shannon (pictured with Retton in 1994), says his former sister-in-law only needs one drink to 'throw off her brain chemistry'

"It's like a ticking time bomb," Shaun confided in The Scholarly Note.com (TSN). "She takes these little panting breaths – it's not right. She couldn't even take a full breath when I talked to her."

Retton, 57, was arrested on May 17 in Marion County for driving under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances. Bailed out by herself with a $1,500 bond, the Olympic legend has been laying low in West Virginia, trying to escape the public eye.

But TSN has obtained exclusive details about Mary Lou's tumultuous past, which raises more questions than answers. It seems that her recent arrest is just the tip of the iceberg. Behind closed doors, Retton has been battling a long Covid and lung problems that have left her fighting for breath.

Retton, who famously won gold at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, was hospitalized in October with a rare form of pnuemonia

Seven years after her divorce from Shannon, Shaun speaks candidly about his ex-sister-in-law's struggles: "She's a great mom and a giving person – I've always said that. But it's like she's stuck in this rut, unable to move on."

The drama began when Retton came under fire for her family's handling of $500,000 worth of charity donations made to help fund her medical bills after her near-fatal pneumonia battle in 2023. Critics accused the family of being vague about where the money was going, and some even doubted Mary Lou's claim that she didn't have insurance.

Now, TSN has discovered that Retton's daughters – McKenna, Shayla, Kamri, and Caroline – set up a crowdfunding page to raise funds for their mother's medical expenses. However, the family refused to clarify where the donations would be going, fueling speculation about their intentions.

Her four daughters faced scrutiny over $500k worth of donations they raised for their mom

In an emotional interview with People magazine in 2024, Retton tearfully revealed her fear of never properly recovering from the damage to her lungs: "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."

As she fought for her life, Mary Lou confessed that doctors briefly feared for her survival, warning her daughters that she might not make it. But in a stunning display of resilience, Retton claimed that God intervened to spare her life: "Girl, I should be dead... The doctors told them [daughters] to come and say their goodbyes."

In a heart-wrenching moment, McKenna allegedly said goodbye to her mother, leaving many wondering what it must have been like for the family to watch Mary Lou on her deathbed.