Ryan Mallett’s funeral will take place in Arkansas, just over a week after he drowned in Florida aged 35
A service was held this afternoon in his native Arkansas for former NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett.
The celebration of life took place at Central United Methodist Church in Fayetteville – the same town where Mallett played his college football.
After the service began, some of his relatives – including his sister Lauren – sang in his honor before people came to speak.
Scott Surratt, Mallett’s high school coach, was the first to speak, followed by his agent JR Carroll.
The funeral was well attended throughout his life by a number of Mallett’s former coaches and teammates.
Thursday was a celebration of life for former NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett
The service was held in Fayetteville, Arkansas, as coaches, family and teammates gathered
Mallett was on holiday with his girlfriend Madison Carter, the KNWA reports. The ex-player officially became Facebook with Carter less than a month ago, on June 1
Mallett was vacationing with his girlfriend Madison Carter in Destin, Florida when he drowned in the Gulf of Mexico.
Officials said his death was not caused by riptides, with one suggesting heat exhaustion may have played a role.
The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Mallett’s death in a statement Tuesday.
“A tourist died in an apparently drowning shore of Gulf Shore Drive in Destin,” it read.
A group of individuals were reportedly struggling off the coast when a man went down.
“He wasn’t breathing when lifeguards found him and pulled him out. Tragically, life-saving measures were unsuccessful.
The victim is identified as 35-year-old Ryan Mallett of Arkansas. We extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends and loved ones on his tragic passing.”
Mallett was taken to the hospital from a Florida beach after first responders were called to the area at 2:12 p.m. He was pronounced dead at Destin’s emergency room.
“There are a lot of things that can affect a swimmer,” Joe D’Agostino, head of Destin Beach’s safety department, told AL.com. “If you stop sweating, you have a problem.
“You have to sweat no matter what you’re doing, even if you’re just sitting in the shade.” Some of our visitors overestimate their swimming skills.’
Deltaplex News later reported that Mallett was with up to 12 people when he went into rapids.
Recent reports show that conditions have been extremely dangerous along the Gulf Coast, with CNN report that 11 people have died in rip currents in less than two weeks.
Former quarterback Mallett supported Tom Brady for two seasons in New England, and the future Hall of Famer paid tribute to his former teammate on Instagram late Tuesday.
“We have lost a great man. Thanks for everything Ryan,” he wrote.
“Praying tonight for the Mallett family and all their loved ones.”
The former quarterback played with Tom Brady for the New England Patriots from 2011-2013
And the legendary passer-by paid tribute to his ex-teammate late on Tuesday evening
The 35-year-old played in the NFL with the New England Patriots, Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens and was on vacation with his girlfriend Madison Carter.
Mallet was drafted by New England where he supported Tom Brady for two seasons. The future Hall of Famer paid tribute to his former teammate on Instagram.
“We have lost a great man. Thanks for everything Ryan,” he wrote.
“Praying tonight for the Mallett family and all their loved ones.”
Carter, Mallett’s girlfriend, posted an emotional message on Facebook with an image of the pair holding hands.
In a lengthy post on Sunday, she wrote an open letter to him beginning with “Ryan Michael Mallett. 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’ll 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 for the game of football. Those of us 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. Several 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 you did. In such a short time you showed me the love I’ve prayed for all my life. You loved me fiercely and unashamedly.
“We were planning our future. We had just started. I’m sure some think we’re crazy for thinking that way about each other in such a short amount of time. I thought we were crazy at first too. But you helped me understand that when two souls connect like ours, love has no set timeline.
Madison Carter, the girlfriend of Ryan Mallett – the ex-NFL star who tragically drowned last Tuesday – has posted a heartbreaking tribute to him on her Facebook account
Carter, 27, said she will never be able to understand how Mallett lost his life last week
Carter had also posted a message thanking people for offering support
“Words cannot express how much I miss you. I hope you know how loved you are. By myself, your wonderful family, your friends, your teammates, your students and countless others. I don’t know how I will ever get over this.
“But I am so honored to love you and to be loved by you. You changed my life, and I am eternally grateful for the time we had. No amount of time would ever have been enough. I love you, Ryan. Please watch over us. I can not wait to see you again.’
A number of NFL players and teams who played with and against Mallett sent their thoughts and condolences to his family.
During his career, Mallett appeared in 21 games, started in 8, and threw for 1,835 yards and nine touchdowns.