The girlfriend of the former NFL quarterback who drowned last week has broken her silence with an emotional message about his passing.

According to reports, Ryan Mallett, who played for the New England Patriots, Houston Texans, and Baltimore Ravens during the course of his career, began to struggle in the water off the coastal town of Destin, Okaloosa County, Florida, along with a group of others.

Said group – said to be 12 strong – were able to make it back to safety. That is all except Mallett, who was pulled under the water.

The ex-football was pulled out by lifeguards, but the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office said that attempts to save his life were “not successful”.

The 35-year-old’s death was announced last week, prompting an outpour of messages online. The New England Patriots were among those to pay tribute, writing in a statement:

“The New England Patriots are deeply saddened to learn of the sudden and unexpected passing of former quarterback Ryan Mallett.

“Our thoughts are with the Mallett family, his former teammates and all who are mourning his loss.”

Meanwhile, the Baltimore Ravens wrote: “He had an infectious personality, and throughout his time as a Raven, Ryan’s charisma and joy for being around the team were consistently on display.”

Just shy of a week on from the incident that claimed Mallett’s life, his girlfriend, Madison Carter, has broken her silence to offer her own words of grief at the loss of her partner.

“I trust that God has a plan for everything, but I don’t think I will never understand why this happened. I’m so sorry I couldn’t save you, and I hope you know how hard I tried,” Madison wrote.

“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.

Credit: Facebook/Madison Carter
“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.”

As per reports, Mallet and Carter only made their relationship official a few short weeks before Mallet’s passing.

Rest in peace, Ryan Mallett! We’re sending love and strength to his closest family and friends at this terrible time.

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