Ryan Mallett dead in drowning incident
https://www.deltaplexnews.com/white-hall-head-football-coach-ryan-mallett-drowns-in-florida/
oh no. This is horrible.
Oh, no!
Fucking terrible.
So sad, probably around 35 years old, condolences to his family.
He had one of the best throwing arms I'd ever seen.
Yeah one of the wire services had him at 35. Poor guy. RIP sir
A Detroit TV report with a few more details:
https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/former-u-m-quarterback-ryan-mallett-dies-in-florida-drowning
Rest in Peace, Mr Mallet. Condolences to his loved ones.
That's horrible! There have been a lot of rip currents out here in the panhandle lately. We had to call in a rescue last weekend when we saw them drifting away.
Around 7 in the last few days haven't survived.
It's been pretty bad here as well (live on the gulf near Houston) the past couple of months. Not just ridiculously hot, but strong thunderstorms not usually seen this time of year. I was in Destin a couple summers ago for a conference (gorgeous beaches) and even moderate winds on 1-2 days resulted in double red flags (closed for swimming). Has me worried for late hurricane season despite the low season predictions.
RIP Big Tex!
Saw this on the interweb. Sad and scary business:
The sheriff of a Florida Panhandle county declared he is 'beyond frustrated' at beachgoers ignoring warnings about deadly rip tides after seven people drowned at Panama City beach limits in less than two weeks. Tommy Ford, the sheriff of Bay County, whose district includes the popular Florida resort town of Panama City, said the deaths were 'tragic and unnecessary'. On Tuesday, 35-year-old former NFL player Ryan Mallett drowned after getting caught in a rip tide 50 miles west of Panama City, in Destin, Florida. Just three days earlier, three people drowned in a matter of hours along Panama City's beaches: Morytt Burden, 63, of Lithia Springs, Georgia; Kimberly Moore, 39, of Lithonia, Georgia; and Donald Wixon, 68 of Canton, Michigan. Two fathers also died on Father's Day, June 18. And across the whole Gulf Coast, including Alabama, at least 11 people have died due to riptides. Between 2002-2021, the treacherous currents have been responsible for 191 deaths along the Alabama and Florida Panhandle coast
Damn. Rest in peace, Ryan.
Oh, no. Rest in peace.
Holy shit what terrible news.
Rest in Peace Mr. Mallet.
Condolences to his family and fans
Absolutely devastating news. Definitely thinking of Ryan and his loved ones, he will be missed. Rest easy, big man.
Oh my gosh, that's awful!
RIP. I think this is still the longest TD pass in Michigan's long football history.
It’s been 16 years and I knew exactly which TD you were talking about
RIP Ryan Mallett
RIP Mr. Mallett. Terrible news.
I was actually at this game--I remember it well. Lloyd's final year, Henne was hurt, and Mallett tried his best, but just couldn't quite put it together. Michigan lost its first B1G game that day, and would play OSU the following week with the B1G championship still up for grabs, despite losing their first 2 games of that year (App St & Oregon).
As an aside, I was walking out of Camp Randall after that game, dejected, decked out from head to toe in maize & blue U-M gear, and this big drunk dude in red and white striped overalls yells at me to get my attention from the stands. He says, "Could be worse. Could be rainin'."
Classic.
I responded, "Well, good luck playing for the Big Ten championship next week. Oh wait, that's us!" One of my very favorite away game stories.
Meechie, Mister Simpson, now Ryan Mallett.
It's not cool to see these young men passing away like this.
Sad. I loved Ryan Mallett I was praying that he stayed after Carr retired. RIH God bless your family and friends. Very, very, sad.
Tragic, R.I.P. Ryan
Wow, way way too young :(
F'n awful
Unlike Uncle Rico, I think Mallet could have thrown the ball over the mountains.
RIP.
This is really sad. I cannot express how excited I was when he committed. I even have a signed t shirt
Very sad. Rest in peace.
That is just heartbreaking. Condolences to his family. So, so sad.
A sobering reminder that we never know when we're walking out the door for the last time. RIP
I'm over here maximizing 401ks and planning retirement as a 46y/o. There but for the grace of god go I.
OMG!!!! HOW SAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Holy shit
Wow, that is really sad.
😟 Man…
Just wow...
May his friends and family find some sort of peace...😪
1. I think Michigan can claim anyone who ever started, played or practiced for Michigan.
2. RIP Ryan Mallet.
3. I had a friend who was a lifeguard drown in lake Michigan after getting swept away by the undertow. Be careful in large bodies of water, or even just water.
EDIT: I originally said riptide. I meant undertow.
What is crazy is that I have heard it is rarely ever the current itself that is deadly, but the panic. From what I understand, if you swim sideways less than a tenth of a mile the current will actually bring you back to the shore almost effortlessly.
I was caught in a rip tide a few years ago. Scariest thing ever and by the grace of God I miraculously survived it. When you’re in it, you’re literally stuck. I know people say swim sideways and whatnot but at that moment, you can’t think, breathe, swim, wave your arms, or even yell for help. You’re choking on water and having a hard time just breathing. A few seconds later, your strength is gone and totally exhausted. It was my near death experience and is why I’ve stayed out of the ocean since. Please be careful when going in the water. It does not care about you and can literally swipe you away in a matter of seconds.
Yeah. Certainly not trying to minimize it. I’m even uncomfortable when my kids are swimming in the Great Lakes.
Growing up in Michigan I'll take the lakes any day, I've never really been comfortable swimming down here in the Gulf, too many unknowns.
This might be one of the most dangerous misbeliefs, actually. The coastal processes on the Great Lakes are the EXACT SAME as the Gulf Coast. The only difference is tides.
Lake Michigan has one of the worst undertows of any body of water in the world.
It is definitely extremely dangerous. I was a beach bum for quite a few years in my youth and my experience is that the currents can be strong and are generally unpredictable.
Additionally there are continually changing sandbars, numerous rivers, and channels that create odd effects. The most common currents I've experienced are rip currents (they go generally straight away from shore) and currents that run parallel to shore. When they exist at the same time it is very dangerous.
Superior is nasty, too - although fewer people dare to swim in it than Michigan.
That is definitely true. I've had a few brief swims in Superior. Every time it was summer but still extremely cold. Each time I probably spent less than a minute or minute and a half in water over my head. I couldn't stay in long enough to drown. (Unless I had instantly cramped up - which does seem possible.)
I believe it. I got caught in one as a teenager down in St. Joe. Scared the absolute shit out of me. This was around the same time that a classmate drowned in one near Grand Haven.
I commented below, however, what you describe is spot on. My chest hurt for days and had I not gotten out of trouble when I did, I am pretty sure my heart would have given out. The only reason I made it was because I boxed for about 10 years as a hobby. I knew I only had a few seconds left, so I focused on my breathing before making one last push. Without that, I was done. I would have died in front of my son and in less than 10 to 15 feet of water.
Was it pulling you beneath the surface? Want to know in the event I need to know.
Edit: everything I've read says it cannot pull you under, but I'm still interested in your first hand account.
RIP, Ryan.
I also had a near-death experience with a rip tide. Mine was in Lake Michigan. I had foolishly swam very far from shore and did not expect anything like that. Like you, I panicked and flailed to the point of near exhaustion. I was saved by others -- a friend and at least two strangers. I'll never forget that night. Life is short, and water is unforgiving.
Was this without a life jacket? If so thats amazing you're still here.
I know life jackets arent very cool to wear but at 42 I wouldn't go out on a lake without one. What most people dont understand is the water can be calm on the surface but violent underneath. Several years ago I worked with this 17 year old kid that just graduated and he loved swimming in the lake in our town and he was pulled under and they found a day later. That gave me a fear/respect for lakes and rivers I'll never forget.
I was an Aircrewman/Rescue Swimmer once upon a time. Jacked up my ankle during AW school playing basketball, and had to reclassify.
Anywho. The crap we learned about how to rescue people in various surroundings was insane. You could make jumps within 0.5 KM of eachother, but 8 hours apart, and have drastically different approaches.
There were people(officers) that studied it as their main job. I'm a great swimmer, and obviously not in as good a shape as I was in '99, but I wouldn't go out in oceanic waters I'm not too familiar with.
While both riptide and undertow are actual things, the correct thing here is rip current. I only say this because you edited one incorrect thing to another incorrect thing...