Ryan Lochte Reveals He's 54 Days Sober After Wife Accuses Him Of Having Cocaine Around Their 3 Children

Although Ryan Lochte is in the middle of a contentious divorce from his estranged wife, Kayla Lochte, the 12-time Olympic medalist has something positive to celebrate. Before sharing his update, Kayla, a Florida-based real estate agent and mother of three, asked a court to grant her sole custody of their children and alleged the elite swimmer struggled with substance abuse. According to Ryan, 41, his struggle with substances came after his 2023 near-fatal car accident, which left him struggling to walk and with "nightmares." Despite the challenges, though, Ryan revealed that he was now on a sobriety journey.

Ryan shared a post on his official Instagram account, telling his one million followers that he had checked himself into a rehab facility. “I wanted to share some positive updates in my life and what’s going on,” Ryan said in the video, later admitting that he's "so happy."

As the video continued, the "Traitors" star attributed his happiness to his sobriety, sharing that he hasn't consumed substances in 54 days.

Ryan opened up a bit about his journey, explaining that his past car accident led him down a dark path that included "depression, loneliness and feeling like I was giving up in life, which led me down a road of substance abuse." However, Ryan said that he knew he had to make a "drastic change" for himself and his family.

"I checked myself into a Florida recovery center. The staff has been incredible. They helped me realize substance abuse isn’t a solution. It’s just a distraction that makes things worse,” Lochte added before sharing he's feeling “much better, thinking clearly, motivated and moving forward.”

According to a previous report from PEOPLE, Ryan was involved in a near-fatal car accident in November 2023 that left him struggling to walk.

In a video shared online in August 2024, Ryan was seen being pushed into his home while sitting in a wheelchair. Another clip showed the "Celebrity Big Brother" star leaning on a walker, taking slow and controlled steps.

"Life’s setbacks may knock you down, but they set the stage for an even stronger comeback!" the video's caption read. "This guy has been putting in the work one step at a time, literally!"

During a podcast appearance, Ryan opened up about the car accident, admitting he still has "nightmares" and gets "scared" to drive. "I still have visions of the wreck," he said. "I still have visions of white lights flashing in my eyes."

Lochte explained that as he was driving to pick up his kids from school, he "freaking ran into" a trash truck that was parked in the middle of the street.

Ryan's sobriety announcement came weeks after his estranged wife filed court documents asking for sole custody of their three children, according to a previous report from The Blast.

In the papers, Kayla, a former Playboy Playmate, claimed that shared custody with Ryan would harm their children because of the Olympian's alleged "history of substance abuse."

She also claimed she found "mostly empty baggies of cocaine" in their family home, including underneath their kitchen table, on their child's bathroom counter, and in their child's bedroom.

Kayla also claimed Ryan's alleged substance abuse would sometimes cause the "Dancing With the Stars" performer to "doze off during the day," specifically after dropping their children off at school.

She alleged Ryan was known to "pass out in the driver's seat" with the music blasting before also claiming he once fell asleep "while being the only adult watching the children."

And the claims don't end there. Kayla allegedly "caught Ryan inhaling nitrous oxide" in front of one of their small children.

Ryan clapped back at the allegations in a statement, saying he "adamantly [denies] ever using drugs in front of or around my children, and I have never driven them while intoxicated."

And this isn't the first time Kayla has opened up about some of the personal details in her relationship with Ryan.

According to a previous report from The Blast, Kayla explained how filing for divorce from the swimmer in early 2025 was one of the most challenging things she's ever done.

"I've come to the understanding that staying isn't always the most loving decision someone can make. For me, leaving was an act of love, for those around me and for myself," she said.