Madison Carter, the girlfriend of former Arkansas star and NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett, has posted a heartrending tribute to him on Facebook after he died on June 27 from a drowning incident in Florida at the young age of 35.
The former Michigan and Arkansas quarterback was taken to a hospital in Florida after being pulled from the water at a Destin, Florida, beach last month. Attempts to revive Mallett failed, and he was pronounced dead.
Ryan Mallett #15 of the Houston Texans points to the crowd as he walks off the field after defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19-9 at NRG Stadium on September 27, 2015, in Houston, Texas. (Bob Levey/Getty Images)
“How do I even find the words. I prayed for you for 27 years, and we finally found each other,” Madison Carter wrote on Facebook, Fox News reported. “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.
“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. 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,” Carter continued.
“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. We were planning our future,” she added. “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.
Madison Carter/Facebook
“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,” the heartbroken woman concluded.
Some reports had claimed that swimming conditions near the beach where Mallett lost his life were declared in the “red” condition and that riptides contributed to his death. But on June 29, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office said this was not the case.
Quarterback Ryan Mallett #15 of the Baltimore Ravens watches the action from the sideline in the third quarter of a game on December 17, 2017, against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. Baltimore won 27-10. (Nick Cammett/Diamond Images/Getty Images)
On the contrary, officials confirmed that conditions were rated “yellow” at the time, which means “swim with caution.”
Mallett served as Tom Brady’s backup after the Patriots selected him in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft. The former Razorback played for the Patriots, Texas, and Ravens during his seven-year career.
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