Houston businessman Jim McIngvale, better known as "Mattress Mack," often makes headlines for his entertaining commercials or enormous sports bets. His dedication to helping others was spotlighted this week when he gave $50,000 to Mary Lou Retton, the former Olympian who is uninsured and battling pneumonia.

Watch Mary Lou Retton's daughter thanks those who made donations for her mother's treatment

But this is nothing new for Mattress Mack, who has made much larger donations for years with much less publicity.

Mattress Mack's huge donation to cancer research

In 2016, McIngvale made a $500,000 donation to MD Anderson Cancer Center. The University of Texas research facility made a huge difference to Mattress Mack in his personal life. He credited MD Anderson doctors for helping "him live an extra 20 years" after a tragic liver cancer diagnosis.

This is just one example of Mattress Mack's philanthropy in the Houston community. He also opened his stores to shelter hundreds of victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Beyond that, McIngvale has played instrumental roles in helping people with obsessive compulsive disorders, making mental health care available to those in the city, funding a mobile stroke unit from St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital and donating thousands of units of furniture to Houston area schools and homes.

How did Jim McIngvale get the name Mattress Mack?

Born on February 11, 1951, in Starkville, Mississippi, he is the founder and owner of Gallery Furniture, a prominent furniture retail chain in Houston, Texas.

McIngvale is renowned for his memorable advertising campaigns, often featuring himself in attention-grabbing commercials. He has become a local celebrity in Houston thanks to his charismatic on-screen persona, and the tag line "Gallery Furniture will save you money!"

Mattress Mack's commitment to the community and his unique marketing approach have made him a beloved figure in Houston, and he continues to be involved in both business and charitable activities.