Ryan Lochte Discovers Joy with New Girlfriend Molly Gillihan
Ryan Lochte is thrilled with his new romance involving Molly Gillihan and is eager to share it with everyone.
“Happiness looks good on me,” Lochte, 41, posted on Instagram on Thursday, August 28, featuring a photo with Gillihan.
He mentioned, “Can’t hear the outside noise 😉 All smiles with you even through the challenges we face. ❤️❤️❤️ @mollygilli #springfield #peaceful.”
The Olympic swimmer beamed in the sunset image as he embraced his new girlfriend, savoring the last days of summer.
Lochte’s expression of joy followed shortly after he went public with his relationship with Gillihan, just a month after his split from wife Kayla Rae Reid.
Reid, 34, and Lochte were married for nearly seven years before she announced their divorce in June.
“Earlier this year, I made the difficult choice to end my marriage after thorough contemplation and prayer,” Reid shared via Instagram. “I regard marriage highly, so this has been one of the most painful and transformative seasons of my life. I wanted to wait until I could share from a place of healing, and not from raw wounds.”
She continued, “For me, leaving was an act of love — for those around me and myself.”
Lochte expressed his own sentiments about the separation in June, noting on social media his deep gratitude for their shared life.
He posted on Instagram, “Although this decision has been difficult, I trust it’s the right step towards peace and wellness for both of us. I remain committed to healing, growth, and respectful coparenting as we navigate this new path.”
The couple wed in September 2018 after dating for two years and share three children: Caiden, 8, Liv, 6, and Georgia, 2.
After the Fourth of July weekend, Lochte confirmed his relationship with Gillihan by posting multiple photos from their time together in Daytona Beach, Florida.
In response to rumors that Lochte had cheated on Reid with Gillihan, the retired athlete clarified to the Daily Mail in July, “I want to make it clear that Molly didn’t come between me and my ex-wife.”
He insisted, “She didn’t come between me and my kids. We divorced, and I made the choice to leave. I relocated to stay involved in my children’s lives, which I will always prioritize.”
Numerous celebrity breakups have shaken Hollywood over the years, including the unions of Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin as well as Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan. Tatum and Dewan’s romance began on the set of the 2006 film Step Up, where they played love interests. The pair wed in 2009 and welcomed their daughter, Everly, in 2013. […]
Lochte further asserted, “There was no infidelity involving Molly; absolutely nothing. Molly didn’t do anything wrong. I was the one who pursued her after I received the divorce papers and was living on my own. It all happened afterward.”
Lochte expressed admiration for Gillihan, who has two children, commending her for having the “patience of a saint.”
Shortly after Lochte’s post about “happiness” on Thursday, Gillihan also shared her own updates celebrating their relationship.
“I highly recommend finding someone with whom you can enjoy life … @ryanlochte,” she captioned an Instagram video showing them goofing around as Taylor Swift’s “So High School” played in the background.
Kayla Rae Reid had significant concerns regarding Ryan Lochte before their divorce, as multiple sources disclosed to Us Weekly. “There were trust issues from Kayla’s perspective,” one insider revealed, with another noting, “Ryan violated Kayla’s trust in several ways.” Reid, 34, publicly stated on June 4 that she had “made the hard decision” […]
On the following day, Gillihan expressed her support for Lochte on social media after he disclosed in a video posted on Friday, August 29, that he is “54 days sober.”
“So proud of you, honey,” she wrote in her Instagram Story on Friday, sharing Lochte’s message.
Lochte mentioned in the video that he “checked himself into a recovery center in Florida” after experiencing “depression” following a car accident in 2023. (He had previously entered rehab in 2018 for alcohol addiction after another car crash.)
“Now I feel so much better. I’m thinking clearly and moving forward,” he concluded on Friday.
