Ryan Lochte shows 10-month recovery journey after breaking his leg in car accident: ‘One step at a time’

Ryan Lochte showed off his recovery progress after revealing he was in a life-threatening car accident ten months ago.

The former Olympic swimmer, 40, and his wife, Kayla Rae Reed, shared a video revealing his recovery journey on Instagram Wednesday as she encouraged and praised her husband’s efforts to heal.

“Life’s setbacks may knock you down, but they set the stage for an even stronger comeback!” Reed, 33, captioned the reel. “This guy has been putting in the work one step at a time, literally! 🙏”

In the clip, Lochte can be seen being wheeled into his home by his son Caiden Zane, 7, and making his way through his hospital room with a walker as he relearned to walk following his leg injury.

Ryan Lochte, pictured above, showed off his recovery journey on Instagram after revealing he broke his leg in a car accident ten months ago. Ryan Lochte/Instagram
“This guy has been putting in the work one step at a time, literally! 🙏” Lochte’s wife, Kayla Rae Reed, said of her husband’s progress. Ryan Lochte/Instagram

Lochte also shared another clip of himself attempting to run through his neighborhood with his limp.

“Rome wasn’t built in a day! Everyday try and get better. Still a ways away. If you’re not trying to better yourself each day then what’s the point! Happy hump day,” he wrote.

In his July appearance on Kyle Mills’ “Athletes Only” podcast — which was recorded a month after Lochte’s accident — he recalled getting into his car crash.

In the clip the couple shared, Lochte can be seen getting wheeled into his home by his son, Caiden Zane, 7. Ryan Lochte/Instagram
Lochte explained in a separate interview that he was on his way to pick up his children from school when he accidentally ran into a parked trash truck in the middle of a busy street. Kayla Lochte/Instagram

Lochte said he was on his way to pick up his children from school when he accidentally ran into a parked trash truck in the middle of a busy street.

When his friends and other parents witnessed the incident, he said many of them “tried to come get me.”

“They’re like, ‘He’s dead. He’s not breathing. He’d dead.’ Blood gushing from my head. Still have a couple stiches in there. Broke my femur. Completely broke my femur in half. Totaled my car.”

The Olympic swimmer said he “still has nightmares” of the incident. REUTERS
“I still get scared when I, like, go to the car to go to my physical therapy. I still have visions of the wreck,” he said. Kayla Lochte/Instagram

“I still have some nightmares,” Lochte, who is also dad to Georgia June, 1, and Liv Rae, 5, continued.

“I still get scared when I, like, go to the car to go to my physical therapy. I still have visions of the wreck. I still have visions of white lights flashing in my eyes.”

Lochte emotionally added, “In the blink of an eye, your life can be over. I’m just so thankful that no one got injured except me.”