Mary Lou Retton Is Alive

ORIGIN
Mary Lou Retton is an American retired gymnast and Olympian. She won gold, 2x Bronze, and 2x Silver medals at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Retton is credited as the first American female gymnast to win gold in the all-around competition at the Olympics. She retired from competing in 1986 and was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997. Retton was born to parents Ronnie and Lois on January 24, 1968, in Fairmont, West Virginia. Her father worked in the coal industry. Retton was raised in a Christian household. She has 4 older siblings. She attended Fairmont Senior High School.

CAREER
Retton was inspired to become a gymnast after watching Nadia Comaneci during the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada. This resulted in her taking gymnastics at the University of West Virginia. Her first mentor was coach Gary Rafaloski. Retton met Romanian coach Bela Karolyi at a Las Vegas meet in 1982. She moved to Houston, Texas, later that same year to train under him. Retton competed and won gold at the American Cup in 1983 (New York), 1984 (New York), and 1985 (Indiana). At the US Nationals, she won silver in 1983 and Gold in 1984. She also won gold at the 1983 and 1984 American Classic. Retton made her Olympic debut at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California. She had just recovered from a knee injury. Nevertheless, she won gold in the all-around competition, silver for the vault and team competitions, and bronze for the uneven bars and floor exercises.

Retton officially retired in 1986. She was inducted into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in 1992, and into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997. Her career has inspired future athletes such as Carly Patterson, Nastia Liukin, Gabby Douglas and Simone Biles. Post-retirement, Retton has appeared on television programs like ABC Funfit, Guiding Light, Baywatch, and Mary Lou’s Flip Flop Shop. She co-hosted the series Road to Olympic Gold. She also had cameos in the films Scrooged (1988) with Bill Murray, and Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult (1994) with Leslie Nielsen. Retton and dance partner Sasha Farber are slated to compete on season 27 of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars.

PERSONAL
Dubbed America’s Sweetheart, Mary Lou Retton stands 4ft 9in tall and she’s of Italian descent. She was born with hip dysplasia and had hip replacement surgery in her 30s. Retton currently resides in Houston, Texas. Her net worth is estimated at $8 million. She once held endorsement deals with big names like General Mills (Wheaties) and McDonald’s. Retton wed former football quarterback turned real estate developer ‘Shannon Kelley’ in December 1990. They have four daughters: Shayla, McKenna, Skyla, and Emma. McKenna Kelly is an accomplished gymnast in her own right. She won gold at the 2014 Nastia Liukin Cup in Greensboro.

Mary Lou Retton Bio, Net Worth, Height