“It’s Like I Didn’t Exist”: Michael Phelps’ Dad Once Confessed He Felt Undervalued in His Son’s GOAT Journey

Praise does not come easy! The road to achieving such incredible feats was never easy for Michael Phelps. Be professional or personal; the swimming GOAT had to fight many battles. Growing up in the Rodgers Forge neighborhood, Phelps’ memory of a family is limited. Son of a former football player, Phelps stepped into the world of swimming, following his sister’s footsteps.

With each passing day, his love for water deepened, and in no time, the young boy from Baltimore went on to become one of the ‘World’s best.’ However, in the journey of becoming Olympic champion, there was someone close to Phelps who felt left out.

Phelps Senior felt left out

Often praised for raising the Olympic star, Michael Phelps’ mother, Mrs. Debbie Phelps, held her son in the toughest of times. Even Phelps’ father, Mr. Fred Phelps, can not help but shower praise on their ex-wife for training Phelps the right way. But as Fred says, “Just because he lives with Debbie doesn’t mean I didn’t have anything to do with this,” 

Speaking on the same with Baltimore Sun in 2001, Phelps’ dad said, “It’s like I didn’t exist.” Making sure that the focus stays on only his son,  Fred adds, “It’s his story.” Continuing further, he says, “It’s not Debbie’s story. It’s not my story.”

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Phelps’ parents divorced when he was just nine years old. Since then, his mother raised him and his two elder sisters single-handedly.

Michael Phelps’ special relationship with Coach

When Phelps started his swimming lessons under the guidance of coach Bob Bowman, little did they know that their relationship would grow beyond the pools! What Bowman and Phelps shared was not just any student-teacher relation.

From sharing fights to life lessons, the two have seen many triumphs and defeats together. Speaking on Bowman’s impact on his life, Phelps once said, “He is my dad. Like, I didn’t always have a dad growing up.”

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The impact the Bowman had on Phelps’ life can perhaps never be encompassed in words. He was someone who kept believing in his student’s capabilities irrespective of the situation. Learning countless lessons, the ‘Flying Fish’ says, “I still learn a lot from him.”