Phelps reveals struggle with depression: "Saving a life is worth more than gold"

Almost a decade has passed since Michael Phelps shined at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, when he won more medals than any other athlete, with five golds and one silver.

And when he ended his legendary career after those Games, as the greatest Olympic medalist of all time - with an impressive 28 medals in four Olympics - it seemed unthinkable that his name would ever be associated with anything other than swimming.

But the 40-year-old has found a new mission since leaving the pool, becoming one of the most influential and outspoken advocates for mental health and wellbeing in and out of sport.

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"Water safety, but also mental health - those two things are who I am," Phelps told CNN Sports in an interview with Coy Wire.

These are also the main focuses of the Michael Phelps Foundation.

The organization, created in 2008, was initially designed to help young people by promoting healthy habits and water safety - Phelps himself was afraid of the water when he started playing the sport at the age of seven.

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However, as Phelps evolved, the foundation's purpose also changed. In 2020, the organization officially expanded its mission to include supporting children's mental well-being and emotional resilience.

"Being able to implement mental health into my foundation along with swimming gives me back that purpose I had when I competed", said the owner of 23 Olympic gold medals.

Finding purpose beyond swimming pools
The foundation is just one of the many ways Phelps has immersed himself in his new mission.

In 2023, he partnered with online therapy company Talkspace and led the "Start from the Top" campaign, an initiative aimed at building sustainable mental health habits based on five main pillars.

In recent years, he has also given speaking engagements around the world, detailing his struggles with depression and the lessons learned through difficult periods in his life.

The man who spent nearly two decades chasing perfection in the pool has now made it a mission to help others by speaking openly about the painful journey he faced to reach that level.

And for Phelps, there was a defining moment that changed everything.

"Honestly, I think that was when I reached the point where I didn't want to be alive anymore," he explained. "When I got to that point, I thought, 'Okay, something is wrong. I need to get help.'"

"It was the first time I asked for help because I just didn't know what to do. I'm so grateful I got the help I needed because I wanted to change."

"And then from there it was about finding solid ground and getting comfortable sharing the stories I tell."

Saving lives is worth more than any medal
For many athletes, especially those who have reached the absolute pinnacle of their sport, like Phelps, retirement often represents the end of a long journey and a period of nostalgic reflection.

But for Phelps, when he stepped out of the pool professionally for the last time, at Rio 2016, his work was far from over.

There was still another race to run. One that, according to the Olympic icon himself, has a far greater reach than any sporting achievement.

"I remember after the 2016 Olympics, I was at Microsoft and this kid... I say 'boy,' he was probably 25, stood up and said, 'I have my dream job. Everything I ever wanted has happened. And I don't want to be alive anymore.'"

"And I was like, 'Man, I understand you.

I've had those thoughts too.' Then we had that moment where he said, 'You sharing this gave me the strength and confidence to open up too.'"

In sport, vulnerability is often interpreted as a sign of weakness - especially in elite athletes idolized by millions.

By continuing to speak so openly about the importance of mental health, Phelps is helping to change that narrative.

The motivation is no longer gold medals, but something much more important:

"For me, winning a gold medal is much less important than having the chance to save a life."

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Source: CNN