What happened to Michael Phelps?

There are few athletes we associate with the Summer Olympics as much as we do Michael Phelps. During his time representing Team USA as a competitive swimmer, Phelps became the most decorated Olympian ever with a total of 28 medals (23 of which are gold) so it’s no wonder we can’t get him off our minds during 2024’s Summer Olympics.

Phelps’ legacy is undeniably intertwined with the games themselves, even when he’s nowhere in sight of the Olympics. After a stunning performance in the 2016 Rio Olympics, Phelps retired from competitive swimming at the age of 31. If you’ve been wondering what an Olympic legend does in retirement, here’s what he’s been up to since. 

What is Michael Phelps doing now?

It’s difficult to imagine the Olympics without Phelps competing but since his retirement, he is taking a well-deserved break from the sport. He’s become an outspoken advocate for mental health. Phelps has spoken out about his struggles with ADHD and depression throughout his career and has implemented mental health programs in the Michael Phelps Foundation.

Speaking with CNN’s David Axelrod at the 2018 conference of the Kennedy Forum, Phelps spoke candidly about his struggles with depression, saying, “Really, after every Olympics I think I fell into a major state of depression.” He initially turned to self-medicating until a particularly bad bout after the 2012 Olympics made him seek help: “I didn’t want to be in the sport anymore… I didn’t want to be alive anymore.” 

He credits checking into a treatment center and learning to open up about his feelings, which helped him turn things around. By sharing his experience, Phelps hopes he can help others struggling with their mental health and potentially save lives. “Those moments and those feelings and those emotions for me are light years better than winning the Olympic gold medal,” he shared.

In addition to his advocacy, Phelps has started a family with his wife Nicole Johnson Phelps. The two were married on June 13, 2016, and have four sons together — Boomer, 8, Beckett, 6, Maverick, 4, and Nico, who was born in Jan. 2024.

While he no longer competes, Phelps is still a fixture at the games. Most recently, he traveled to Paris for the Olympics, where he was spotted reacting to French Olympian, Leon Marchand, beating one of his coveted world records. Ever classy, Phelps had only glowing reviews of Marchand and even presented the young athlete with a gold medal, albeit a few days prior.