She said yes!
Olympic swimming superstar Ryan Lochte has taken a major step in his relationship with girlfriend of the last 14 months, Molly Gillihan. According to TMZ on Friday night, the athlete popped the question after a little more than a year of dating, and the proposal sounds like it was straight out of a romantic movie scene. (And she said yes, BTW! Ha!)
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The engagement reportedly took place at Prime and Pearl restaurant in Gainesville, Florida, per the outlet — a location that apparently holds special meaning for the couple. The news org reported that Lochte got down on one knee at the restaurant, which was also said to be the site of their very first date, so there’s some serious history there. Photos obtained by the outlet reportedly showed the newly engaged pair embracing and sharing a celebratory kiss after the big moment.
The setting itself appeared carefully planned, too! Red flower petals created a pathway leading to the couple’s table, while roses and candlelight helped form an intimate atmosphere for the proposal. Gillihan was also photographed showing off what appeared to be an oval-shaped engagement ring featuring a gold band.
Awww!
Of course, the happy relationship milestone is already generating plenty of conversation because it comes while Lochte’s divorce from estranged wife Kayla Reid is still ongoing.
As we’ve previously been covering, Reid filed for divorce in March of last year after seven years of marriage. The former couple share three children together: Caiden, Liv, and Georgia.
Following the split, Reid made several public comments that appeared to shed light on the difficult circumstances surrounding the end of their relationship, at various points suggesting that “betrayal” played a role in the breakup.
The situation became even more public earlier this year when Reid appeared to suggest on an episode of her podcast The Comeback Era that Lochte and Gillihan’s connection may have begun long before their relationship became public. She claimed the pair had been “happy for a very long time” and suggested they had known each other for years.
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Meanwhile, Lochte has also faced personal struggles in recent years. Last September, he revealed on Instagram that he had entered rehab and celebrated reaching 54 days of sobriety, sharing that he was in a much happier place in his life.
The former Olympic champion and Reid have also exchanged public barbs during the divorce process, too — so, things have NOT been simple or easy on that front.
Still, this engagement would seem to mark a new beginning and a fresh chapter for Ryan and Molly. You can see some of their engagement snaps HERE, by the way.
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[Image via Kayla Reid/Instagram/Molly Gillihan/Instagram/Ryan Lochte/Instagram]
