HEALTHRyan Lochte Says He 'Struggled to Find' Himself and Was Depressed After Nearly Fatal Car Accident: 'My Life Changed Forever'
Ryan Lochte opened up about his struggle with depression and self-worth following a car accident.
Ryan Lochte shared how a near-fatal incident one year ago caused a significant setback in his mental health recovery.
On Thursday, November 21, the former Olympian shared an emotional post on Instagram about the traumatic event, stating his "life changed forever."
“A car accident nearly took everything from me — and for a long time, it felt like it had,” he wrote in the caption. “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.”
The swimmer got into a car accident one year ago.
The tragedy happened when Lochte was on his way to pick up his children from school, leading to him crashing into a stationary trash truck on a bustling street.
The father-of-three credited his family for his recovery.
“But I didn’t face this journey alone,” he continued. “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.”
The former Olympian said that his family helped him get through dark times.
These days, the former swimmer is motivated to keep moving forward.
“Fighting for my family, for my dreams, and for the life I know I’m meant to live,” he explained. “This year has taught me that setbacks don’t define us — our comebacks do. Here’s to growth, resilience, and the power of love and community. Thank you to everyone who stood by me. 🙏💪 #Resilience #Grateful #OneYearStronger #FighterInLife.”
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As OK! previously reported, the crash happened during a particularly rough time in Lochte’s life. He had already been struggling emotionally after failing to make Team U.S.A. for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Ryan Lochte and his wife, Kayla Rae Reid, nearly got divorced because of his depression.
Lochte revealed more about what he was going through during an appearance on Cheryl Burke’s “S--, Lies and Spray Tans” podcast years back.
"I went through a hard depression after I didn’t make the Olympic team in 2021," the 12-time Olympic medalist shared. "I couldn’t even go outside to take my trash out to the end of the driveway because I was just so depressed. I couldn’t even get out of bed."
The father-of-three admitted he would often break down in tears during hard periods in his life.
His personal issues even impacted his marriage to Kayla Rae Reid.
"Me and my wife, we were about to get a divorce because she was like, 'Who are you?'" he recounted. "I would wake up every day, look at myself in the mirror and be like, 'f------ pathetic.' I would cry all the time. I let everyone down and I think that was the biggest thing because I love everybody. I have a good heart."
"The biggest thing that helped was my family," Lochte expressed of Reid and their three children at the time.
