Ryan Lochte Reveals Details of Major Car Accident in November 2023: ‘So Thankful’<\/strong><\/p>\n

Six-time Olympic gold medalist\u00a0Ryan Lochte<\/strong> has revealed that he suffered major injuries in a car accident last November while driving to pick up his children from school. Lochte, 39, told host\u00a0Kyle Millis<\/strong> of the Athlete’s Only Podcast about his accident earlier this year but requested to not share the news until his recovery was complete.<\/p>\n

Lochte explained that he ran into a garbage truck parked in the street. After the car in front of his swerved to miss the truck, Lochte did not have time to make the same maneuver, and he ran into the corner of the truck, causing major injuries. Lochte learned that most similar crashes result in fatalities, so he considers himself lucky.<\/p>\n

“My friends that were driving after picking up their kids, driving home, they tried to come get me,” Lochte said. “[The investigators] were like, \u2018He\u2019s dead. He\u2019s not breathing. He\u2019d dead.\u2019 Blood gushing from my head. Still have a couple stiches in there. Broke my femur. Completely broke my femur in half. Totaled my car.”<\/p>\n

In the following months, Lochte spent extensive time in physical therapy so that he would be able to walk again. He explained in the podcast interview that he does not usually consider himself an overly-religious person, but given the outcome of the crash, he said, “God was watching me, and he was like, \u2018It\u2019s not your time.\u2019” Lochte added that this was the most scared he has ever felt.<\/p>\n

“I still get scared when I get in the car to go to physical therapy. I still have visions of the wreck. I still have visions of white lights flashing in my eyes,” Lochte said. He paused, unable to contain his emotions. “Not knowing that I\u2019d wake up and see my family again. When I wake up, I\u2019m so thankful. In a blink of an eye, your life can be over. I\u2019m so thankful that no one got injured except me.”<\/p>\n