NFL QB Drowns and Girlfriend Shares Heartbreaking Message
Her heartbreaking Facebook tribute is a touching goodbye.
Drowning is a much more common occurrence than you would think. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are 4,000 fatal unintentional drownings every year in the United States, an average of 11 drowning deaths per day. While children ages one to four have the highest drowning rates, adults also drown – even professional athletes. Last week, ex-NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett became a casualty when he drowned in Florida, and his girlfriend has shared a heartbreaking message about his death.
Mallett was in Destin, Florida last Tuesday, with his girlfriend Madison Carter, a medical student at Arkansas State. The couple had just made their relationship Facebook official on June 1, when he drowned off the coast of the Florida panhandle.
According to the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, riptides were not a factor. "The tragic loss of life, it's always difficult when we lose a tourist or resident here, but we have no indication here of any dangerous conditions out there," Sheriff Eric Aden said in a statement. "The entire Okaloosa County, as well as Destin, were not under red flags or double red flags, despite some of the misperceptions out there."
"How do I even find the words. I prayed for you for 27 years, and we finally found each other. I trust that God has a plan for everything, but I don't think I will ever understand why this happened. I'm so sorry I couldn't save you, and I hope you know how hard I tried," Carter wrote in her lengthy post.
"Everyone knows how talented, dedicated, and passionate you were about the game of football. Those of us who were lucky enough to know your heart know that it was even bigger than your larger-than-life personality and stature. Nothing was ever about you, it was always about others," she continued.
"Multiple times, I heard you say 'there are so many good people in this world,' and that statement alone shows what kind of person you were. Always looking for the good. I can never thank you enough for loving me the way that you did. In such a short time, you showed me the love I have prayed for my entire life. You loved me fiercely and unapologetically," she added.
"We were planning our future. We were just getting started. I'm sure some think we're crazy for feeling the way we did about each other in such a short time. I thought we were crazy at first too. But you helped me understand that when two souls connect the way ours did, love has no set timeline," she wrote.
"Words cannot convey how badly I miss you. I hope you know how loved you are. By myself, your amazing family, your friends, your teammates, your students, and countless others. I don't know how I'll ever get past this. But I'm so honored to love you and be loved by you. You changed my life, and I'm forever grateful for the time we had. No amount of time would have ever been enough. I love you, Ryan. Please watch over us. I can't wait to see you again," she concluded.
