Mary Lou Retton Net Worth: Famous Gymnastic Net Worth

It is estimated that Mary Lou Retton has a net worth of $2 million, and she won the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in the individual all-around competition. In one of the most dramatic sports moments in sports history, Mary Lou was five hundredths of a point behind the leader, Romanian Ecaterina Szabo. She was the first American woman to win the all-around gold and individual gold in gymnastics.

In order to win, Mary Lou would have to score a perfect ten on the vault. To the world’s shock, she scored that perfect ten and became a global celebrity. In addition to the gold medal, she also won two silver medals and two bronze medals from the 84 games.

As a supporter of the Reagan administration, Retton stayed in the public eye throughout the years after the Olympics. Her appearances in television commercials and endorsement campaigns, such as those for Wheaties cereal, were many, many, many, many. She also attended the University of Texas at Austin.

Despite her accolades and accomplishments, Mary Lou Retton was not able to overcome the staggering cost of medical care in America without assistance.

After battling pneumonia in October 2023, Retton, 56, raised over $459,250 through crowdsourcing (including a $50,000 donation from businessman Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale and his wife).

Check out some of the context behind Mary Lou Retton’s financial situation, as a result of the fundraising efforts.

What made Mary Lou Retton famous?

Eventually moving to Houston, Texas, to train, Mary Lou Retton became a gymnastics prodigy. She began gymnastics at the age of eight from Fairmont, West Virginia. Her national titles in 1983 made her a formidable competitor within just a few years.

After undergoing knee surgery for a prior injury, she won a gold medal, two silver medals, and two bronze medals at the 1984 Olympics. Her victory made history as the first all-around Olympic champion for an American woman.

In addition to becoming a household name, her stellar Olympic performance led to her being featured on Wheaties packaging for the first time. Through the years, she has endorsed Energizer batteries, Purex detergent, Revco drugstores, Dobie Originals fitness apparel, Hasbro, McDonald’s, Vidal Sassoon hair products, GNC, and more.

After competing on Dancing With the Stars in 2018, Retton became a pop culture icon. She is also a motivational speaker.

Mary Lou Retton net worth: how much is she worth?

In recent years, Mary Lou Retton’s net worth has been estimated at $2 million, but that figure has been disputed. Aside from the fact that Retton divorced Shannon Kelley in 2018, it is important to note that her net worth might have also been affected depending on how much they settled for post-split.

Also check: Justin Timberlake Net Worth

When did Mary Lou Retton compete in the Olympics?

In 1984, Retton was just 16 years old when she competed in the Los Angeles Olympics.

Mary Lou Retton hospitalized for illness and fundraising?

The daughter of Mary Lou revealed on October 10, 2023 that Mary Lou had been in the intensive care unit for over a week due to an unexplained illness that prevented her from breathing on her own. Her mother does not have health insurance, so McKenna included a link to a fundraising page that was aimed at raising $50,000 to cover her medical expenses.

Approximately $460,000 was raised through the fundraiser. In response to a question later about her mother’s lack of healthcare, McKenna explained: “Due to her medical history and numerous surgeries she has endured from gymnastics and just life, it’s not affordable for her.”

Also check: Ken Goldin Net Worth

The COVID pandemic also caused the mother’s income to decrease. Retton previously earned up to $25,000 per speech. Her daughter said that she was hospitalized after contracting a severe and rare form of pneumonia. During October, Retton could not breathe on her own due to the seriousness of her condition. 

Her daughter was beside her as she spoke with Today host Hoda Kotb in January 2024. Retton was connected to an oxygen machine, and her daughter sat next to her.

“Usually my interviews are, ‘Oh, yeah, it felt great to win the Olympics,'” Retton said to Kotb after Kotb commented on her “vulnerable state.”

Retton revealed that she was close to being put on life support at one point, revealing how serious her illness was. 

She said she was blessed to have the opportunity to speak about her health on Oct. 30, 2023.

What kind of insurance does Mary Lou Retton have?

As a result of her lack of health insurance, Retton and her family have cripplingly expensive medical care. As she would be eligible for a healthcare plan under the Affordable Care Act if she couldn’t get one through her employer, it’s unclear why she didn’t have one.

In the absence of health insurance, whether she was unable to get one due to financial difficulties, a previous policy lapsed or personal reasons remains unclear.

Although it has been rumored that Retton opposes COVID-19 and the Affordable Care Act, no credible source has substantiated those claims, and none of those sentiments are currently evident on her social media accounts. The last time she made public political statements was during the 2004 Republican National Convention.

She was an avid supporter of Ronald Reagan during the Cold War era, when the Soviet Union held the Olympic gymnastics medals, and was a vocal and ardent supporter during her gymnastics heyday (again, when she was a teenager).

Divorce & Life Settlements

As a gymnast, Retton attended the University of Texas at Austin. After living in Houston, Texas, for six years, Retton returned to West Virginia in 2009. Retton moved back to Houston in 2009, when she returned. She married Shannon Kelley, a former quarterback at the University of Texas, in 2012, and has four daughters together. They divorced in 2018. They have four daughters together – Shayla, McKenna, Skyla, and Emma.

It is reported that Shannon paid Mary Lou $2 million in cash and property in 2018 as part of their divorce settlement. The amount does not include her share of proceeds from the sale of a house in Houston and a house in West Virginia. The Houston house sold for $800,000, and the West Virginia house for $575,000. Mary also received the Porsche Panamera 2015 as a gift from the couple.

Life in the early years

At the age of 8, Retton was born in Fairmont, West Virginia. Her father, Ronnie, operated a coal-industry transportation equipment company. Her extensive gymnastics training made her hip dysplasia worse over time.

After watching Nadia Comaneci win the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, she began training in gymnastics at the age of eight. Retton trained under Karolyis who had coached Nadia Comaneci in Houston to encourage her gymnastics training.

Career in gymnastics

In 1983, when Retton was 15 years old and working with the Karolyis, she won the American Cup. She placed second in the U.S. Nationals that same year, just behind Dianne Durham. In 1983, she won the American Classic, but she missed the World Gymnastics Championships because of a wrist injury.

It was Retton who won the 1984 U.S. Nationals and qualified for the 1984 Olympic Trials, but then she injured her knee while performing a routine. Her knee locked up while signing autographs, and she realized it was serious.

Five weeks before the 1984 Summer Olympics, she had to have surgery on her knee. Since it was the first time the Olympics were held in the United States in 52 years, it was imperative for her to recover quickly in order to perform well. Fortunately, she did and was competitive at the Olympics.

Due to the boycott of the entire Soviet bloc other than Romania, Retton was primarily engaged in a tight battle with Romanian Ecaterina Szabo for the all-around gold medal, since the Soviet bloc had opted to boycott the Olympics.

The vault and floor exercises gave Retton the boost she needed to win the event. Szabo had scored higher on the uneven bars and balance beams, but Retton scored a perfect 10 on both exercises. Because of the knee injury and speculation that it would hinder her performance, Retton’s victory was especially dramatic.

As well as being the first American woman to win the Olympic all-around, Retton also won two silver medals and two bronze medals at the same Olympics. She also became the first female gymnast from outside of Eastern Europe to win the gold medal.

At the age of 18, Retton decided to retire from gymnastics in 1986 after winning her third American Cup all-around competition. In 1985, she won the American Cup all-around competition. “The Retton Flip” involved a transition that involved perching on the high bar as part of Retton’s trademark moves on uneven bars.

Due to stylistic changes in gymnastics over time, the move was eventually removed from the Code of Points. As the first woman inducted into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame in January 2020, Retton was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997.

The endorsements

She was a spokesperson for the U.S. drugstore chain Revco after her gymnastics career and appeared on the front of a Wheaties box. She also appeared in numerous television ads supporting Ronald Reagan for president, showing her support for the Reagan administration.

Additionally, she appeared alongside him at a rally to support his reelection campaign. For years afterward, she remained involved in conservative politics. As part of the Republican National Convention, she was joined by fellow gymnast Kerri Strug to lead the Pledge of Allegiance.

Appearances in other media

Retton also appeared in a number of films and television shows as herself. In 2014, she participated on “Dancing with the Stars,” “Knots Landing,” “Baywatch,” and a RadioShack commercial. She appeared in “Scrooged” and “Naked Gun 33+ 1/3: Final Insult.” She was also in “Naked Gun 33+ 1/3: Final Insult,” and “Knots Landing.” As a partner of professional dancer Sasha Farber, she came in ninth place on the 27th season.

How does Mary Lou Retton spend her time now?

Despite having long retired from competitive gymnastics, Retton remains involved in the sport through her daughters.

The late Sen. Senator Retton was also reportedly lobbied by her and other USA Gymnastics members. Dianne Feinstein in efforts to keep Feinstein from voting for the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017.

In response to the rampant abuse gymnasts suffered at the hands of Dr. Larry Nassar, the act was enacted. Even though USA Gymnastics and Retton attempted to curb the legislation, it passed in February 2018.

After changing her mind about the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act in September 2018, Retton said she was unable to speak out publicly earlier because of legalities associated with her position on USA Gymnastics’ board.

At the time, she told Access Live, “we were lied to, and not given the full picture.” It’s sad that one monster will bring this sport down.

What is Mary Lou Retton’s current address?

A Houston, Texas, address was reportedly Retton’s most recent residence.