Ryan Lochte is doubling down on his previous remark that he “barely knew” Kayla Lochte after they got married as he reacted to his estranged wife posting their wedding vows on social media.
Posting an announcement via his Instagram on Thursday, December 18, Ryan, 41, clapped back at backlash he’s received and addressed Kayla’s post amid the previous couple’s messy divorce.
“Navigating personal challenges in public may be incredibly tough, and I’m thankful for the chance to make clear my recent post about my ex-wife. I understand my words have sparked plenty of backlash, and I would like to specific that my intention was never to harm anyone but to share my honest feelings,” the swimmer wrote.
He added, “There’s so much happening behind the scenes that I’ve chosen to maintain private to guard my kids. I recognize that Kayla has shared our wedding vows on her page to spotlight the authenticity of what we once had. While I respect that, I still stand by my belief that we didn’t fully know one another, and truthfully, I didn’t know myself or who I used to be. I’m very thankful for our three children and the love we shared at the moment.”
Ryan and Kayla, 34, who share three children — son Caiden Zane, 8, and daughters Liv Rae, 6, and Georgia June, 2 — announced their divorce in June after Kayla initially filed in March.
Within the post, Ryan acknowledged that his behavior was not at all times one of the best while married to Kayla and he credited getting skilled help as helping him do the inner work on himself.
“Therapy has been a transformative journey for me, helping me uncover insights about myself that I previously ignored. I’m making an incredible effort to separate myself from the past, as I’ve truly moved on,” he continued. “I deeply regret any disappointment I’ve caused to those in my life, including the mother of my children. I could be lying if I said I used to be a great husband. I wasn’t. I’m committed to working on myself every single day.”
Within the lengthy statement, Ryan also explained why he’s selling his Olympic medals amid financial issues faced by the previous couple.
“I also would really like to make clear the selling of my medals. I never swam for the gold medals. My passion has at all times been about being among the finest swimmers on the earth. Those medals? They were just the cherry on top of an incredible journey,” Ryan wrote within the post. “With 90 international medals – including Olympics, world championships, Pan Pacs, and Pan Am Games – I’ve been fortunate to realize greater than any swimmer on the market. But what means essentially the most to me is what I’ve done with them. I’ve given away medals to fans and young kids within the stands, since it’s never been nearly me. It’s about inspiring the following generation and helping them chase their dreams. The memories, the exertions, and the reference to all of you’re what I treasure essentially the most.”
Ryan Lochte’s estranged wife, Kayla Rae Reid, is specializing in rebuilding amid the pair’s messy divorce. Reid took to social media on Saturday, June 28, to share “reminders” she was “telling myself immediately” after announcing she and the Olympian had filed for divorce on June 7. “You’re getting into one of the best chapter of your […]
Kayla uploaded a video of the pair’s vows at their 2018 wedding via Instagram on December 11 following news that Ryan would publish a tell-all memoir. “Just going to go away this here 🙂,” she captioned the post, which showed Ryan making an emotional speech about her.
For her part, Kayla has also been candid about how difficult the breakdown of her marriage has been.
“I’m currently navigating a fancy divorce, and let me inform you — divorce can feel like being frozen in time,” Kayla wrote in a lengthy Instagram post on October 24. “I’m using this season to rebuild, rediscover who I’m, and chase my dreams with clarity and courage.”