Shaquil Barrett, a linebacker for Tampa Bay Buccaneers, went through a profound loss of his daughter Arrayah as she was found dead in his family home swimming pool back in Tampa, Florida, on Sunday morning, April 30th. According to Tampa Bay Times, police service reported at the South Florida residence of the NFL player around 9:20 AM in response to a report that a child had drowned in a swimming pool.
The Unfortunate Death
As soon as it was discovered that a child had drowned in a swimming pool, the police officers hurried to Shaquil's residence. Arrayah, the two-year-old, was immediately rushed to the hospital, but she couldn't make it despite the life-saving efforts. She was declared dead shortly after the family arrived at the hospital. It was indeed an accidental death, and no foul play was detected. All of the players from Tampa Bay have offered their deepest condolences to the grieving family, but nothing and nobody can provide true comfort to them for such a profound loss.
The Barrett Family
The mother and father of the deceased child, namely, Shaquil and Jordanna Barrett, met in high school and fell in love. They got married and had four children named Shaquil Jr, Braylon, Aaliyah, and Arrayah. Arrayah was born months after the linebacker won a super bowl 55 for Buccaneers against Kansas City. Shaquil Barrett, aged 30, also recently signed a four-year contract worth $72 million with his team, and it will be his 5th year with the Buccaneers.
Shaquil's Career
Shaquil joined the team and played for free in his first year but proved to be extremely valuable and displayed true sportsman spirit earning him a place in Pro Bowl. He was also a part of the team when they won a super bowl back in 2021.
Irreplaceable Loss
In addition to media outlets, the news of Arrayah Barrett's death was also revealed by Jordanna Barrett in an Instagram post where Jordanna wrote an emotional post for her daughter and paid tribute to her little angel. The post included little Arrayah's recent picture from her birthday, where she was gleaming with happiness.
The grieving mother mentioned, "Thank you for all the messages, flowers, thoughts, and prayers. Our world will never be the same. Arrayah was the apple of my eye, and my heart will forever be with hers."
Father of the Buccaneers' Grievance
The father of Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Shaquil's father, also broke his silence and posted a heartbreaking tribute to his granddaughter in Florida. Steve Barrett shared photos of himself on social media with Arrayah Barrett later at noon on the same day she died with a gap of just a few hours. As a grieving grandfather, his heart was full, and he could not keep it in any longer.
The granddad quoted in his post, "Pop pop loves you," which melted people's hearts. He received dozens of condolences from family and friends, including the retired Buccaneer Tom Brady, to which the Buccaneer family responded by issuing a statement on Sunday.
There is no doubt about the fact that this news is hugely tragic for the Barrett family and Tampa Bay fans, and there is nothing that can help lessen the family's grief in such difficult and demanding times. People and other players of the team also second the fact that it is indeed an unimaginably difficult time for the family.
Comments / 1