Michael Phelps is paying tribute to his late father.
The Olympian shared in a heartfelt Instagram that his father, Fred Phelps has passed away. “You’ll always be my dad. And I’ll always be your son…Love you dad and I will miss you rip dad.”
Michael—who shares sons Boomer, 6, Beckett, 4, and Maverick, 3, with wife Nicole Johnson—shared several throwback photos of his father, including one of his father looking lovingly at his grandson and one in which he holds one of his grandsons.
Fellow Olympian Lindsey Vonn commented, “I’m so sorry for your loss. He will always be there,” while the Baltimore Ravens wrote, “So sorry for your loss. Your Ravens family is sending love.”
The elder Phelps—who shared the same name, Michael Fred Phelps, as his celebrated son—was a retired Maryland State Trooper who played football in high school and college and also tried out for the NFL’s Washington Commanders in the 1970s.
