Ryan Lochte is speaking out after his ex-wife Kayla Rae Reid slammed his fiancée Molly Gillihan for discussing the former couple’s children on social media.
“We do miss the kids and love them very, very much. We can’t control the narrative that Kayla is and has created for over a year,” Lochte, 42, exclusively told Us on Monday, October 19.
Lochte confirmed that he’d deleted a previous social media post in which he’d directly responded to Reid, 35, asking Gillihan, 37, to “leave me and my children alone.”
“Even when I’m trying to defend [Molly] she’s looking out for my peace and mental health,” the Olympian wrote via his Instagram Story on Monday. “I deleted my [previous] post because she asked me too.”
He continued, “Please, please understand the effects of smear campaigns, public shaming and online bullying. In 2016, I reached a point where I didn’t want to live. I know how painful this can become. Our lives and mental health matter, and the bullying needs to stop.”
Us reached out to Reid for comment.
The 12-time Olympic medalist has spoken often in the past about his mental health struggles after the 2016 Rio Olympics, where he was charged by local authorities with falsely reporting an alleged armed robbery. (All charges were later dismissed.)
Earlier this week, Gillihan was asked in an Instagram Q&A whether Ryan “sees his kids” — son Caiden, 9, and two daughters, Liv Rae and Georgia June, 7 and 3, respectively — since he lives in Springfield, Missouri, and they are with their mom in Florida.
“[He sees them] every month and we will have them here Christmas break, spring break and most of the summer. But it’s definitely not enough,” Gillihan answered. “We miss them like crazy and praying this is just a season.”
Reid fired back via her Instagram Story on Monday, claiming Gillihan was wrong about her custody arrangement with Lochte. (The model stated that her three kids stay with their dad for “one month” out of their two and a half month summer break, while the parents divide custody “equally” during the holidays.)
“At this point, the continuous desperation for attention is overwhelmingly obvious,” Reid declared. “And while I recognize that publicly discussing me may generate the attention she’s never received, I would appreciate being left out of it.”
Reid claimed that she is taking care of “the overwhelming majority of the parenting and financially providing for [her kids] almost entirely my own.”
“Meanwhile, from a distance, I continue to be subjected to name-calling, personal attacks, and unnecessary commentary from people I have made every effort to remove myself from,” she wrote.
Elsewhere in her statement, Reid took exception to how “selectively facts are presented” by Lochte’s fiancée.
“You would think that by marriage number three, [Molly’s] understanding of respect, boundaries and the importance of staying out of someone else’s family matters?” she wrote. “But I suppose experience doesn’t always translate into growth. I would be, yet again, embarrassed and ashamed of my life choices.”
Reid stressed that she has “absolutely no interest in competing, arguing or participating in this circus.”
“I have three actual children to raise,” she concluded. “So, for what feels like the hundredth time, please leave me and my children alone. Publicly and privately.”
Reid separated from the swimmer in March 2025 and later accused Gillihan — whom she claimed was an acquaintance of hers — of cheating with Lochte during their marriage. (Lochte denied that there was an overlap between his relationships with Reid and Gillihan.)
Lochte got engaged to Gillihan in October 2025, a mere four months after Reid went public with their impending divorce. The exes were finally granted an official divorce in July.
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