Kayla Reid Reflects on the 'Ticking Time Bomb' of Her Marriage to Ryan Lochte

Reid, who married the 12-time Olympic medalist in 2018, told PEOPLE that she often felt trapped in an alternate reality. She recalled a journal entry from their time together where she characterized their marriage as a ticking time bomb. According to Reid, the relationship was marred by the athlete’s alleged struggles with alcohol, drug use, and infidelity, leaving her to constantly question which parts of her life were grounded in truth.

Lochte, who has since become engaged to Molly Gillihan, acknowledged making significant mistakes during his marriage. While he stated he was not ready to be the husband his family needed at the time, he expressed gratitude for his children and indicated a desire to move past the public conflict. Lochte is currently preparing for a move to Missouri to begin an assistant coaching position, framing the separation as a necessary step toward a more stable future for his family.