Former NCAA swimmer and political activist Riley Gaines has been happily married to her husband, Louis Barker, since 29 May 2022.
The couple crossed paths in 2019 while attending the University of Kentucky. Her partner pursued a business administration degree while the former swimmer studied health sciences.
Highlights
- Riley Gaines’ wedding ceremony was held in Nashville, Tennessee.
- The former NCAA star swimmer’s husband was also a part of the University of Kentucky swim team.
- Louis Barker, a native of Crawley, England, is a business owner and project manager.
After meeting on the University of Kentucky’s swim team, Riley Gaines and Louis Barker started dating almost immediately.
Both made the All-SEC Freshman team in 2019. Riley also earned All-SEC second-team honors in 2019 and 2020.
The couple dated for two years, from 2019 to 2021, before deciding to spend their lives together forever.
Riley announced her engagement to Louis on social media, and soon after, they got married.
Riley Gaines And Louis Barker Tied The Knot In A Private Ceremony
Riley Gaines and Louis Barker exchanged their marriage vows in a close-knit, private ceremony in Nashville, Tennessee. Only their close friends and family were present at the wedding.
The former NCAA star took to Instagram to share about her special day. She posted several loved-up photos with her life partner and wrote,
“So this means I get to call Louis Charlie Barker my husband forever? Lucky me! You make me a better person every day, and I couldn’t be more thankful for you and your unconditional love. 🤍 I got myself a country British boy, brb living every girl’s dream.”
Riley Gaines Barker
After the wedding, Riley adopted her husband’s last name, becoming Riley Gaines Barker. The couple has not welcomed any kids yet.
Moreover, the married duo celebrated their 2nd marriage anniversary in May 2024.
On the occasion, Mrs. Barker wrote on Instagram,
“Celebrating 2 years of marriage today 💍🤍 he’s my constant through the ups and downs, and I’m lucky to love him.”f
On the other hand, Riley Gaines’ husband made his first Instagram post since November 2020 and gave a quick update about his personal life.
“4-year Instagram break over. Rapid fire updates: Graduated – Engaged – Married – Built-house – Got 3 dogs – Got a horse – Travel across the country doing some cool stuff with my wife. If you couldn’t tell – I’m pretty proud of her 🤍.”
Louis Barker
Nevertheless, the smitten pair are madly in love, and their social media posts show their pride and how much they love each other.
Louis Barker Is A Business Owner
The former collegiate swimmer’s spouse was born on 19 September 1999 in Crawley, England.
His parents are Aidan Barker and Julie Barker. The businessman has one sibling, Marcus Barker.
As reported by Tuko, Louis attended Millfield School, an independent school in the UK.
Later, he moved to the United States to join the University of Kentucky, where he majored in Business Management and graduated in 2022.
As for his profession, Louis is the proprietor of LCB Pools, known for its superb pool designs and offerings. Louis also manages projects at Chandler and Son, serving as the company’s project manager.
Furthermore, Gaines recently shared that Louis has been unable to obtain a green card.
Despite being married for two and a half years, Barker has yet to receive a green card owing to his refusal to vaccinate against COVID-19.
Gaines, who has been vocal on various political issues, shared that immigration services required evidence of a completed vaccination record, specifically the COVID-19 vaccine.
"Yes, you heard that right. In the year 2024, you have to have the under-researched, ineffective COVID vaccine to enter into this country legally," Gaines said in a social media video.
Riley Gaines expressed frustration over the government’s requirement for legal immigrants to have the COVID-19 vaccine while illegal immigrants were not held to the same standard.
Gaines’s comments received support from Elon Musk, who shared her video on X.
The tech billionaire stated,
“Legal immigration to America is ridiculously slow & difficult, even for super talented people. Needs to be fixed.”
Earlier this year, Gaines supported Musk’s calls for faster legal immigration processes.
Additional Information
- Riley Gaines was born and grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. Her parents were both involved in sports.
- Her father, Brad Gaines, played football at Vanderbilt University, and her mother, Telisha Gaines, played softball at Donelson Christian Academy and Austin Peay.
- Her net worth is estimated to be around $2 million.
- Riley Gaines is a strong advocate for women’s sports. She campaigns to maintain fair competition by opposing the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s events.
