Report: Michael Phelps recalls 'not wanting to be alive anymore' after DUI arrest
Michael Phelps is gearing up for a run at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, a chance to add to his historic medal haul and legacy.
Suffice to say the Olympic swimmer come a long way from a DUI arrest in September of 2014 that led him to a 45-day stint in rehab.
That arrest also left Phelps "in a very dark place" and "not wanting to be alive anymore," according to a new Sports Illustrated story.
In it, the star swimmer recounts the days holed up in his Baltimore home while media swarmed outside. Surrounded by family and friends, he says he finally became convinced of the need to get help and chartered a flight to a facility in Arizona.
Once there, accompanied by his sister and now-fiancee, he says it was "Hug-hug, kiss-kiss, turn in my phone and go to my room. It's probably the most afraid I've ever felt in my life."
Since leaving the facility, Phelps has maintained a low profile and even vowed to not touch alcohol again until after the Rio Olympics.
He's been training with longtime- and U.S. Swimming coach Bob Bowman at Arizona State and competing in national events (he was barred from world events, due to his suspension n the wake of his arrest). His performances have been uneven at times, but he managed some of the fastest times in the world last year too.
Phelps is expected to compete in at least three individual events in Rio, according to SI's report.
