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Ryan Lochte's wife breaks cover after divorce news as Olympian shares emotional post on daughter's birthday
Ryan Lochte 's estranged wife Kayla Reid was spotted on Monday as the now-former couple prepared to celebrate their daughter's birthday.
Earlier this month, Kayla announced the 'painful' divorce from the Olympic swimmer, referencing 'trials we didn't choose or see coming' without mentioning other details.
Lochte, for his part, said he was 'deeply grateful for the life we've built together' and committed to co-parenting their three children together.
And ahead of their daughter Liv's sixth birthday, Kayla was spotted in public getting ready for the special day as she pushed a No. 6 balloon in a shopping cart.
Kayla, who had also appeared to pick up a cake for Liv, chatted on the phone as she was photographed.
A day later, Lochte took to Instagram to celebrate Liv as she celebrated her sixth birthday.
I may not have all the answers, but I'm the dad who will love you more than words can express,' he wrote on Tuesday.
'I'll be your rock, your confidant, and your biggest fan. Through every up and down, I'll be here for you, loving and supporting you with all my heart.
'You'll always be my little girl, and I promise to cherish, support, and love you, no matter what, forever and always. Happy Birthday 6th birthday princess. Love always and forever your Dad #birthdaygirl #wrappedaroundherfinger.'
Shortly after the news of the couple's divorce became public, Kayla took her children to Las Vegas for a fun weekend.
The trip celebrated the eighth birthday of Kayla and Ryan's son Caiden, while Liv and their 23-month-old daughter Georgia were also brought on the trip by their mother.
Kayla's petition for divorce, filed in north central Florida's Alachua County, asked the court for 'sole parenting responsibility' or at least 'ultimate decision-making authority' and 'majority timesharing,' Daily Mail previously reported.
'Wife is fit and proper to assume sole parental responsibility for the minor children of the parties. Shared parental responsibility would be detrimental to the children,' her lawyers wrote.
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However, Lochte responded by insisting it was in the best interests of Caiden, Liv and Georgia for their parents to share custody.
Kayla also mentioned in her filing that their union was 'irretrievably broken.'
The gold medalist swimmer and former Playboy Playmate tied the knot in Palm Springs, California, in January 2018, after previously going public with their relationship in 2016.
However, Lochte has faced his share of personal issues since. In 2018, he was suspended 14 months from swimming for a prohibited IV infusion, and also spent six weeks in rehab for alcoholism.
Following an incident at a hotel in California, in which police were called on Lochte after he tried to kick his door in (no arrests were made), his attorney said he had been battling alcohol addiction for 'many years.'
Lochte later said his stint in rehab had made him a 'better man.'
'I'm glad that I went to rehab and got checked out just because it helped me out,' thw swimmer said.
'It helped put things in perspective in my life. What is really more important than going out to a bar and getting hammered or doing anything like that, I go home and I get to play with my kids and kiss and hold my wife. That, to me, is everything.'
As he was returning to the sport in 2019, he said that it was his 'second priority' behind his family.
He was also thrust into controversy during the 2016 Rio Games, after he claimed that he and three teammates were robbed at gunpoint after a night out.
It was later revealed that the armed men were actually security guards and several details of Lochte's story proved to be fabricated. He was ultimately charged with submitting a false report to police, but charges were later dismissed after he apologized.
Following Kayla's announcement that she had filed for divorce, he also broke his silence on social media.
'Although this decision hasn't been easy, I believe it's the right step toward peace and well-being for us both,' he said.
'I remain committed to healing, growth, and co-parenting with care and respect as we move forward separately.'
Kayla had said: 'I made the hard decision to end my marriage after deep prayer and reflection,' she wrote on Instagram.
'I hold marriage in the highest regard, so this has been one of the most painful, revealing, and challenging seasons of my life.
'I've been hesitant to share until I could do so from a place of healing – not from fresh, open wounds.'
