Amid massive debt revelation, Ryan Lochte pens heartfelt note on son's birthday

Legendary swimmer Ryan Lochte shared a heartfelt note on his son's birthday. The former teammate of Michael Phelps is currently undergoing a debt crisis and recently announced his separation from his wife, Kayla Rae Reid.

Lochte shared photos of his recently turned eight-year-old son, Caiden Zane. The 12-time Olympic medalist wished him a happy birthday and hoped for a better future.

Lochte captioned the Instagram post:

"Happy 8th Birthday to my lil Prince @caidenlivgeorgia my lil mini. I love you Caiden with all my heart! #birthdayboy #8 #daddyslilman"

According to the media reports, Lochte and Reid, who recently announced their divorce, owe nearly $270,000 in debt to multiple organizations. While almost half of the debt is owed to the Internal Revenue Service, the rest is claimed by Fletcher Park Owner's Association [for their residence in Gainesville, Florida] and Shands Teaching Hospital and Clinic [where Lochte got treated following a car accident in November 2023].

Ryan Lochte married former Playboy model and realtor Kayla Rae Reid in a simple ceremony in 2018 after dating for more than two years. They had three children from their marriage: Caiden Zane Lochte, Liv Rae Lochte, and Georgia June Lochte.

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Ryan Lochte releases statement after divorcing Kayla Rae Reid

Ryan Lochte releases a statement after divorce from Kayla Rae Reid [Image Source: Getty]

After it became clear that Ryan Lochte and Kayla Rae Reid had formally separated from each other, the former swimmer issued a formal statement on his Instagram profile.

“I want to take a moment to acknowledge what Kayla shared. This past year has brought major changes for both of us as we've come to the difficult decision to end our marriage. I'm deeply grateful for the life we've built together and especially for the love we share for our three children,” the statement read.

Lochte went on to mention that their separation would not affect their children, adding:

“Although this decision hasn't been easy, I believe it's the right step toward peace and well-being for us both. I remain committed to healing, growth, and co-parenting with care and respect as we move forward separately. Thank you to our family and friends for your continued support - it truly means a lot as we begin this new chapter.”

Ryan Lochte announced his relationship with Kayla Reid around the Rio Olympics in 2016. This was also his final Olympics as an international swimmer, where he won a gold medal in the men's 4x200m freestyle event.