Ryan Lochte’s divorce from wife Kayla Lochte has turned into a painful unraveling of a once picture-perfect marriage.
The Olympic swimmer, who previously praised Kayla for standing by him after his near-fatal car crash, now finds himself at the center of serious allegations. A source close to the family claims Ryan Lochte betrayed his wife in “more ways than one,” leading Kayla to quietly file for divorce earlier this year. After seven years of marriage and three kids, she declared the relationship “irretrievably broken” in her March petition. The Ryan Lochte divorce is now a public case that’s revealing years of hidden heartache, broken trust, and financial strain.
Kayla, 33, who now works in real estate, is seeking sole custody of their three children, Caiden, 8, Liv, 6, and Georgia, almost 2. She’s also asking for alimony, child support, and exclusive rights to their Gainesville, Florida home. Her petition paints a picture of a woman who’s been the primary caregiver, struggling to hold the family together while Ryan focused on himself. But Ryan isn’t going quietly. In his response, he denied her claims of being the main parent and challenged her request for financial support. He even disputed the timeline of their separation, while his lawyer got basic facts like their kids’ birthdates wrong.
According to the family source, Kayla stayed silent about much of Ryan’s behavior over the years, including alleged infidelity and his ongoing struggles with identity post-Olympics. He previously entered rehab for alcoholism in 2018, and the source suggests his inability to fully recover or take accountability has been a driving force behind their split. “She protected him for so long,” the insider said. “She never wanted this. But eventually, she realized leaving might be the only thing that forces him to get help.”
That “help” may be more necessary than ever. Ryan’s 2023 car crash, where he rear-ended a stopped recycling truck, sparked a legal mess and left him with serious injuries. The couple sued the waste company, who counter-sued, but the claims were eventually settled. Another lawsuit from the truck’s passenger was also withdrawn. Still, Ryan was found guilty of careless driving. He’s also facing significant debt, including nearly $100,000 in unpaid taxes and over $167,000 in hospital bills. Kayla has reportedly been the one holding things down financially, especially during his recovery, but even that couldn’t save the relationship.
The divorce has been emotionally brutal for Kayla. In a recent statement, she said this was “one of the most painful, revealing, and challenging seasons of my life.” Though she didn’t specify what broke the marriage, the source close to the family insists the betrayal ran deep. Ryan, on the other hand, is sticking to a tight-lipped approach, calling it “a very personal time” and refusing to address the third-party claims. “Kayla and I both wish to keep this matter private… to protect our children,” he said.
Despite everything, Kayla hasn’t closed the door on wishing Ryan well. According to the source, she still hopes this wake-up call pushes him toward healing. “She doesn’t want to be the bad guy anymore,” the insider said. “She wants to love him to life.” For now, their communication is limited to parenting their kids. Ryan no longer lives in the family home and is reportedly trying to move forward, writing on Instagram, “Like always in life, you’ve got to put one foot in front of the other.”
The Ryan Lochte divorce isn’t just about legal filings and financial disputes, it’s about a fractured family trying to figure out what comes next after years of holding it all together behind the scenes.
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