“Body kept score,” said Caeleb Dressel in 2022 when he took a long break from professional swimming citing poor mental health. Abruptly withdrawing from the swimming world, Dressel retreated from public view for nine months. Personal battles and stressors of the sport acted on the champ in more ways than one. All of this doing a number on him, he decided to lay siege to other aspects of his life and, in return, found a kindred spirit in his wife. During this hiatus, he found solace not only in redefining his future ambitions, but also in nurturing his marriage to Meghan. The Olympic swimmer credits his wife Meghan for rescuing him from his darkest moments and steering him towards his higher calling, aka the turquoise waters.

Their bond deepened further with the birth of their first child, August Wilder, earlier this year. As Dressel prepares for the Olympics, he credits Meghan as his guiding light. How did she exactly help him navigate the ebbs of flows of his depressive abyss? Happy wife, happy life, or so they say, but how far does Meghan actually live up to that adage? How far do the waters beckon his name?

Caeleb Dressel has a constant jiminy cricket and messiah by his side

In a recent podcast on YouTube called Unfiltered Waters,  Dressel emphasized on his need to step away from swimming and focus on himself. he noted that his wife Meghan gave him that much needed push for him to wake up and smell the chlorine again. He said her patience sealed the deal – “And that’s all I needed. ’cause I wasn’t, I didn’t, didn’t know what was wrong at that time.” At times, Dressel would stay in bed for hours on end. He felt lost and confused all the time. “I did not know what my future held,” he said, “I didn’t know what I wanted to do.” But his wife was beside him through those times. Eventually Dressel turned to a therapist. “All I was doing was just therapy twice a week.” 

For the first month or two, he was just trying to figure out the problem and why he felt so despondent. During that time, he said, “Meghan was just so patient, like her patience, I think that’s one of her greatest virtues.” He added adorably, “That and her laugh.”. He mentioned that Meghan was there for him every day, even when he didn’t want to talk to anyone, and she respected his decision. Reflecting on his hiatus as a pivotal moment in his career, Dressel explained that their relationship is now the best it’s been in a while, and Meghan is also very happy.

About his swimming, Dressel said, “I’m still learning, I’m still trying to figure this sport out. I’m 27, I’ve been doing it since I was five.” Dressel is still figuring out what works for him and he plays to his strengths. At one point, he was out of competitive swimming for almost a year. Admittedly, he said when he came back, “I swam slow, I didn’t swim bad, I swam really slow. Like there’s a, there’s a big difference that I’m learning.” He is focused on maintaining a healthy attitude towards the sport and trying not to be too hard on himself. 

He spoke about the trials, mentioning that despite the slow pace, he received an incredible amount of love and support at that swim meet, which he found illuminating. Dressel further added that he had a great time at trials, rediscovering his love for the sport. He reflected that from 2019 to 2021, even during meets where he was the fastest, he was miserable. At the time, he didn’t register those blaring sirens, but when he stepped away, he rediscovered his affinity for the pool via the conduit of his wife.

Family life and beyond: Megan and Caeleb Dressel’s journey together

Caeleb and Meghan first met as swimmers on their local team, the Bolles School Sharks. Over time, Caeleb developed feelings for her, ensuing from their friendship. He even shared, “We did long distance for, technically, seven years. We never lived in the same city, so we had a meeting spot at the … Shands Pier.” After proposing in 2019, the pair got married in February 2021. Meghan fancied Dressel when they were younger, drawn to his heartthrob status among the girls. Following his success at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Dressel emphasized the importance of prioritizing his mental well-being over swimming.

He spoke about the need for self-care and personal rejuvenation. Throughout this transformative journey, Meghan remained a steadfast pillar of support, providing comfort and encouragement during challenging times. Though this year, his wife perhaps couldn’t be present due to their newborn son. Fortunately, Caeleb Dressel has already booked a spot on the swim team and it seems to be that his ride or die couldn’t be more proud.

Despite missing out on an individual spot in the 100m freestyle, Caeleb Dressel has qualified for the 4x100m relay and is gearing up for the 50m freestyle and 100m butterfly events, where he excelled in Tokyo. Fans can anticipate an exciting showdown in the 100m butterfly against Hungary’s Kristof Milak and France’s Maxime Grousset, the 2023 World Champion. Dressel’s performances promise to be a highlight of the Games, with support from his wife and young son, August, cheering him on.