You’d think your favorite heroes enjoy the same kind of reverence from their close ones. On the contrary! And when it comes to finding their life partners, the stories can supply some truly fervent laughter. Finding the love of your life can be unexpected, but it’s not always like a Disney movie. Sometimes, you can barely tell if the person standing in front of you will become anyone significant in your life. At least that’s how it was Michael Phelps’ wife!

Nichole Johnson and her Olympic icon husband sat down with Tim Shriver for an episode of the Need A Lift? podcast. In the Spotify upload from September 30, the couple talked about everything from their journey as mental health advocates to their relationship. During the conversation, Nichole even revealed how she hid a frown the first time they met seventeen years ago.

Michael Phelps’ wife wasn’t very impressed

Phelps also mentioned that his future wasn’t exactly floored by his charm the first time they saw each other. “She wanted an action sport athlete, and she got stuck with me. Just a school kid swimmer from Baltimore,” joked the 23-time Olympic gold medalist. But Johnson didn’t argue either. Instead, she also said that it was one of her favorite stories to tell. “I love to talk about this because he was coming from a shoot as a merman,” the celebrity model laughed.

The two met at the 2007 ESPY Awards, but it was pretty awkward that first time. “He came in and I was assigned to him. so it wasn’t like I saw him across the room and go hunt him down. it was like hey, my name’s Nicole, you have to work with me,” she noted how straightforward things were during when they first crossed paths. She went on to share more details about the fateful moment, which would later turn out to be one of the most important of her life.

“I paid attention to swimming at the Olympics, but that was it. it’s not like I followed swimming religiously outside of it,” Nicole said, mentioning that she was a more Formula 1 kinda girl growing up. But on the other hand, for Michael, things were much more clear even then. “I guess it was pretty much love at first sight. I was like, oh, who is she?” grinned Phelps. Cut to 2017, and that uncertainty has been uprooted from both of them. And their firmly shared belief in making the world a better place has only brought them together.

Walking on the same path

Ever since Phelps hung his swimming goggles, he has opened up about how depression and mental health issues took a toll on him during his competitive years. He even shared that his troubles made him ponder the decision to take his life in 2012. The rough patches have since been put in the rearview mirror and his harrowing experience has prompted others to take precautionary measures. However, he hasn’t also been quiet about how his coach helped him keep his head in the game and provided him with just the kind of motivation that was needed during these tumultuous times. And now, Johnson by his side, the most decorated Olympian of all time is looking to help others who face such inner distress.

“There’s no other person that would be able to support me like she has. She’s the glue that holds all of us together,” Phelps told PEOPLE in 2022, lauding her for standing in his corner at all times, despite him not being at his mental best. The Olympian fondly calls Nicole, “my best friend and mom to our 4 boys.” and seeing them lose themselves in the glimmer of the other’s eyes, we believe them too! What do you think? Name us a better duo in the comments!