Ryan Lochte Writing A New Memoir About His Personal Struggles Amid Messy Divorce From Wife

Olympian Ryan Lochte has announced he's writing a new memoir. Amid his messy divorce from his estranged wife, Kayla Lochte, the elite athlete opened up about some of his deeply personal struggles in a new Instagram video. According to Ryan, he's spent the last few months focused on his healing journey, which has helped him regain his confidence and become a better father to his three children.

The 12-time Olympic medalist got candid about his decision to put pen to paper in a lengthy new Instagram video. In the clip, Ryan announced that the book was born after spending much time "healing and growing." He added, "I finally have the confidence I lost so long ago to give you a real look inside what it was like being Ryan Lochte."

Since becoming one of the most-talked-about athletes of the 2000s, Ryan has experienced a lot of headline-making moments: some good, and some bad. In his announcement video, the swimmer promises to reveal the truth about it all. "I went from a single guy who only cared about surfing and hanging out with friends—who had barely kissed a girl until I was in college—to becoming one of the world’s most eligible bachelors," he said.

Ryan shared that after he had become a household name, the parties, glam, and celebrity lifestyle became too much for him. "I was on top of the world. And in an instant, I became the most hated person in the world," he said, later referencing his Rio scandal.

For those unfamiliar, during the 2016 Olympic Games, Ryan and several other Team USA athletes made headlines after claiming they were robbed at gunpoint at a gas station.

However, according to video footage, Ryan and the others were actually confronted by security guards who demanded they pay for damage they caused in the gas station's bathroom.

In a previous interview with Matt Lauer, Lochte admitted he lied about the situation, saying, "That didn't happen, and that's why — I over-exaggerated that part."

Ryan shared that after the Rio incident upended his life, he found himself in a dark place, noting that he had a "son on the way with someone I barely knew, who constantly reminded me that he would be forever disappointed in the father I had become."

According to Ryan, things between him and his estranged wife, Kayla, have never been that great. "[She] who told me I wasn’t strong enough, man enough… just not enough," he said before admitting he'd become "depressed to my core."

Ryan stated that the issues in his personal life had gotten so bad that he eventually turned to "alcohol, drugs, and sleep." He continued, "Every day, I woke up to be belittled and reminded of my constant failures, day in and day out, until I was eventually kicked out of our family home."

Ryan shared that he's since been "restored," and that he's surrounded by positive influences that "inspire me every day."

The "Traitors" star stated he's found a new purpose in life, and vowed not to let the public down again.

He finished by thanking his fans for sticking by his side through some of life's biggest storms before sharing they are the real reason he's chosen to write a book.

"I cannot wait to share this all with you soon," he concluded.

The announcement of Ryan's memoir comes at an especially difficult time, as his estranged wife filed for divorce in the summer of 2025. "Sometimes we face trials we didn't choose or see coming. And in those moments, we're forced to make the hardest decisions to protect our peace, our children, and our future," she wrote on Instagram at the time.

Since filing, Kayla and Ryan have been embroiled in intense court battles, leading to shocking allegations of drug use. According to an earlier report from The Blast, in one filing, Kayla reportedly shared with the court that she had found empty baggies of cocaine around their house, specifically in their children's bedrooms and bathrooms.

At another point, Kayla alleged she'd found Ryan inhaling "nitrous oxide" in front of their minor children before accusing him of passing out in the driver's seat of their car with music blaring or falling asleep "while being the only adult watching the children."

In a previous statement, Ryan denied using drugs in front of their children and revealed that he had begun pursuing sobriety. "I have tried desperately to keep these divorce proceedings private and sealed, not to protect myself, but to protect my children from fabricated allegations that could hurt them," he added.