"I think I just got to a point where you go for so long with not talking, and you kind of are like a 'Why are we doing this?' type of thing," Lloyd told Today in June 2021, several months after reuniting with her family. The 12-year rift began in 2008, when Lloyd's dad kicked her out of their family home. From there, things only got worse. She wasn't invited to her sister's wedding and all communication stopped between her and her parents.
Then, in 2016 — after publishing her memoir, in which she discussed the estrangement — Lloyd reconnected with her sister. When the pandemic struck and the Tokyo Olympics were postponed, Lloyd had time to really think about what she wanted for her life. "I think when we get older our thoughts change. My parents aren't getting any younger, and life's too short," she said. Her sister helped bridge the divide between Lloyd and her parents and brother, which led to the family celebrating Thanksgiving together last year. "I feel whole again," she said of their reunion.