Olympian Ryan Lochte has opened up about the aftermath of his near-death experience in a car crash last year. Lochte, who sustained several injuries, including a broken femur and several abrasions to his head, took to Instagram to pen a heartfelt note about what life was like for him after November 21, 2023.
Last year, Ryan Lochte was driving to his kids' school to pick them up in Gainesville, Florida. However, the vehicle in front of him unexpectedly switched lanes to circumvent a resting garbage truck, catching him off guard. Lochte did not have time to do the same, forcing him to crash into the edge of the truck.
His car was totaled, and in the months thereafter, Lochte had to spend months learning how to walk again. Speaking with host Kyle Millis of the Athlete's Only Podcast, the Olympian said:
"My friends that were driving after picking up their kids, driving home, they tried to come get me. [The investigators] were like, ‘He’s dead. He’s not breathing. He’sedead.’ Blood gushing from my head. Still have a couple stiches in there. Broke my femur. Completely broke my femur in half. Totaled my car.”
Ryan Lochte says he sunk into depression and began doubting himself in all walks of life following the car crash
Ryan Lochte reflected on the struggles he was left to grapple with, the subsequent depression, and mental health struggles. He accompanied his message with a video of him and his family playing in the pool, captioning it:
"One year ago, my life changed forever. A car accident nearly took everything from me—and for a long time, it felt like it had. I struggled to find myself again, sinking back into depression and doubting my worth as a father, a husband, and the person I knew I could be. But I didn’t face this journey alone."
The 40-year-old six-time gold medal holder penned on, thanking his loved ones for helping him pull through:
"Thanks to the love and support of the incredible people in my life, I began to rise from that darkness. They reminded me of my strength when I couldn’t see it myself. Today, I’m proud to say I’m not just surviving—I’m fighting. Fighting for my family, for my dreams, and for the life I know I’m meant to live."
In reflecting on the year he's had since that fateful day, the twelve-time Olympic medalist noted that he learned one thing: Setbacks don’t define us—our comebacks do. He also thanked everyone who stood by him on this journey.
Trending
Ryan Lochte shares three children with his wife Kayla: son Caiden, 7, daughter Liv, 5, and daughter Georgia, 1. He has been uploading videos of his recovery attempts on Instagram throughout the year. He had stints in the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympics, and as reported by Forbes, he is the world record holder in the 200 individual medleys long course.
Reply
