Swimmer's Ex Makes It Official: Divorce Papers Signed as He Plans Wedding

Model Kayla Rae Reid marked a major milestone on July 1st with a celebratory Instagram post—her divorce from Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte is now officially finalized. The announcement came with a yellow-dress photo and a Nicole Kidman meme, signaling the kind of symbolic closure that makes for perfect social media moments. But the real story behind this legal stamp is messier and more human than any emoji can capture.

Reid and Lochte tied the knot in 2018, sharing eight years together before she made the difficult decision to end the marriage in June 2025. In her original split announcement, Reid was candid about the pain of it all—calling it one of the most challenging seasons of her life. She framed her departure not as a failure but as an act of love, a choice to protect her peace and that of their three children: Caiden, 9, Liv, 7, and Georgia, 3. That kind of vulnerability in a public breakup statement resonates because it doesn’t pretend everything was fine.

What makes this timeline particularly striking is the speed at which Lochte moved forward. Within a month of their split announcement, he was publicly dating Molly Gillihan. By June—just over a year into his separation and while still legally married to Reid—he got engaged. Gillihan posted about being“disgustingly obsessed and in love”with him, sharing the joy of finding her person. On its surface, it’s a feel-good romance story. But the optics matter, especially when children and a marriage dissolution are involved.

Lochte’s response to the engagement backlash was telling. He acknowledged via Instagram that“this may just be the beginning of a very tough and exhausting road,”asking for prayers as they navigate the reality of public scrutiny. It’s a rare moment of self-awareness—an admission that moving fast when a relationship implodes doesn’t erase the complexity or the judgment that comes with it.

Now that Reid’s divorce is officially signed off by a judge, both parties can legally move on. For Reid, the focus remains on healing and co-parenting. For Lochte, the path forward is clearer: he can marry Gillihan without the legal entanglement. Yet the larger conversation lingers—about timing, accountability, and what it means to rebuild a life in the public eye when there are three kids caught in the middle of it all.