Who is Kayla Lochte? Ryan Lochte reacts to ex-wife posting wedding vows on social media amid messy divorce

Ryan Lochte recently responded to his estranged wife, Kayla, posting their wedding vows on social media amid their divorce.

According to her LinkedIn, Kayla, who attended Fullerton College, has worked as a model for Monster Energy since 2013 and has been a model and Playboy Playmate since 2015, including being named a Playboy Playmate of the Month in July 2015.

She also works as a realtor with Tioga Realty in Gainesville, Fla., since September 2021. Additionally, per her Instagram bio, she also co-hosts the Comeback Era podcast with Caroline Lunny.

Born in Fairfax, Va., on July 5, 1991, Kayla shared Ryan's wedding vows from their ceremony in an Instagram post dated December 19, captioned, "Just going to leave this here."

The post appeared to be a response to Ryan's December 9 announcement that he was working on a tell-all book, in which his Instagram caption seemed to reference his estranged wife indirectly.

"Every day, I woke up to be belittled and reminded of my constant failures, day in and day out, until I was eventually kicked out of our family home. The only thing I ever wanted was a family and to become a father, only to have failed at that as well. I have finally found my voice and the confidence I thought was gone forever. The life that had been completely drained from me is finally being restored," he captioned the post.

In response, Ryan posted a statement on a separate Instagram post on December 18 where he noted that "navigating personal challenges in public can be incredibly tough" and that he's "thankful for the opportunity to clarify my recent post about my ex-wife."

He admitted that his "words have sparked a lot of backlash" and that his "intention was never to hurt anyone but to share my honest feelings."

The 41-year-old further wrote that he chose to keep many details about the situation private to "protect his children," and acknowledged Kayla's wedding vows post.

"There's a lot happening behind the scenes that I’ve chosen to keep private to protect my kids. I recognize that Kayla has shared our wedding vows on her page to highlight the authenticity of what we once had. While I respect that, I still stand by my belief that we didn’t fully know each other, and honestly, I didn’t know myself or who I was. I am very thankful for our three children and the love we shared at that time," he added.

"I'm making a tremendous effort to separate myself from the past": Ryan Lochte's response to Kayla's wedding vows post

Furthermore, in the aforementioned post, Ryan Lochte shared that therapy has been a "transformative" journey for him and has helped him "uncover insights about myself that I previously overlooked."

"I'm making a tremendous effort to separate myself from the past, as I’ve truly moved on. I deeply regret any disappointment I’ve caused to those in my life, including the mother of my children. I would be lying if I said I was a good husband. I wasn’t. I’m committed to working on myself every day," he continued.

In the lengthy Instagram post, Ryan further shared that he's selling his Olympic medals, claiming he "never swam for the gold medals."

"I also would like to clarify the selling of my medals. I never swam for the gold medals. My passion has always been about being one of the best swimmers in the world. Those medals? They were just the cherry on top of an incredible journey," Ryan wrote.

He revealed that he has won "90 international medals – including Olympics, world championships, Pan Pacs, and Pan Am Games," and said he feels fortunate to have achieved "more than any swimmer out there."

"But what means the most to me is what I’ve done with them. I’ve given away medals to fans and young kids in the stands, because it’s never been just about me. It’s about inspiring the next generation and helping them chase their dreams. The memories, the hard work, and the connection with all of you are what I treasure the most."

Ryan continued:

"I ask for your understanding and grace as I navigate this complex situation. Moving forward, I will continue to share my life with you, but will refrain from discussing matters pertaining to my previous marriage. Thank you all for your support."

Ryan and Kayla married in January 2018 after he proposed to her in October 2016.