Olympian Ryan Lochte says he’s been sober for 54 days after going to rehab to tackle a long-term substance abuse problem. The swimmer, who won six gold medals over the course of four Olympics, said he is “so happy” after entering a program in Florida. Speaking to his 1 million fans on Instagram in a video, the 41-year-old said: “I wanted to share some positive updates in my life and what’s going on. I am so happy right now, and the big reason is that I’m 54 days sober.” Lochte was involved in a near-death car crash in 2023 in Gainesville, Florida, colliding with a garbage truck on his way to pick up his kids from school, which left him needing months of recovery. Telling fans about his sobriety journey, he said that during this time, he “fell into a really dark place.” Alongside broken bones, he suffered from “depression, loneliness, and feeling like I was giving up,” he explained, which “led me down a road of substance abuse. With everything going on in my life, I needed to make a change, a drastic change.” He added that he was glad to have sought help, and that he was on the journey to recovery. “I’m thinking clearly, I’m motivated, and I’m moving forward,” he said. It was not Lochte’s first brush with substance abuse—he admitted to a “serious” alcohol problem back in 2018 after trying to break down the door to his room in a California hotel.
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