“You’re Not Going to Walk in Now”- Michael Phelps Struggled With Father’s Presence Before Last Olympics After Years of Separation

One of the greatest Olympians and a swimming legend, Michael Phelps is used to being in the spotlight. However, it’s not just him that suffers intense scrutiny by the media, but also all those he has ties to. His family, friends, and relationships, all have made it onto news sites at least once. This is precisely why it is common knowledge that Phelps came from a single-parent home. 

His parents divorced when he was just nine years old, and he had a hard time dealing with the absence of his dad. But his father, Michael Fred Phelps, wished to be involved in his son’s life despite their strained connection, and rebuilding the relationship took effort.

Michael Phelps on reconnecting with his father

It took years for Michael Phelps to reconnect with his dad after his parents’ divorce. His father’s absence took a toll on him, and it took him a lot of time and therapy to come to terms with it. According to ESPN, before his final Olympics, the relationship between the father and son was beginning to heal.

Even though the swimmer wasn’t sure about the results in the long term, he was willing to keep up a friendship with his estranged father. “Would I like to have a father? Sure,” he said. “Is it possible at this point in my life? Who knows? You were gone for so long; I’m sorry, you’re not going to walk in now and pick up where you left off. But it is good to finally have the friendship that I always wanted.”

READ MORE: “He Couldn’t Deal With It”- Michael Phelps’ Father Spoiled His Olympic Debut With a Shocking News During Match

By then, Phelps himself had fathered a son with his wife Nicole, and it had transformed his perspective. “I’ve realized that was the best my father could have done,” he continued. “It sucks. But I get it. I understand now. I’ve learned a lot on the road that I’ve walked that will make me a better father and help me not make some of the same mistakes.”

How their relationship developed

When Michael Phelps was eleven, coach Bob Bowman took him under his wing. Since then, Bowman became something of a father figure to him. While the swimmer still maintained communication with his dad, his first breakthrough in their relationship was when the 23-time Olympic champion did a stint in rehab after his DUI in 2014.

“It showed that he wanted to still be in my life. So that feeling that I had of being avoided and abandoned maybe was a misunderstanding. I think we learned more about each other in that visit than we had in the previous 20 years,” he told Matt Lauer.

It seems that Fred Phelps had a much easier time maintaining his relationship with his two daughters. Michael Phelps’ sisters, who he essentially followed into the pool to become a swimmer, shared a strong bond with their father.

The Phelps sisters, Whitney and Hilary, often post pictures with Fred Phelps on social media with heartwarming messages. With time, the swimming G.O.A.T. is also hoping to reconnect with his father and forge a stronger bond.

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