Ryan Mallett's Girlfriend Madison Carter Shares Moving Tribute: 'Sorry I Couldn't Save You'

Madison Carter was reportedly on vacation with the former NFL star when he died by drowning on June 27

Ryan Mallett's girlfriend is remembering the former NFL star, following his tragic death last month.

Madison Carter, a medical student at Arkansas State, shared her regret at not being able to “save” Mallett — who she was reportedly with when he died by drowning on June 27 — in a reflective Facebook post Sunday.

“How do I even find the words. I prayed for you for 27 years, and we finally found each other,” Carter wrote. “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.”

Related: Ryan Mallett's Girlfriend Madison Carter Speaks Out After His Drowning Death: 'I Appreciate You All'

Mallett was confirmed to have died in a tragic drowning accident in Destin, Florida, by the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Department last month. He was 35. According to a report from KNWA, Carter was on vacation with Mallett at the time of the incident.

In her post, Carter praised Mallett for having a heart that “was even bigger than your larger-than-life personality and stature," adding that he was “always looking for the good.”

The medical student shared that she and Mallett had been “planning our future” and loved each other “fiercely” in the short time they were together.

“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,” she continued.

Related: Ryan Mallett Treated High School Football Player He Coached as His 'Son' Before Both of Their Deaths

“You loved me fiercely and unapologetically. We were planning our future. 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.”

Carter went on to express how much she missed Mallett, as she added, “I don’t know how I’ll ever get past this.”

“Words cannot convey how badly I miss you. I hope you know how loved you are. 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." 

Related: County Officials Say There Was No Riptide at Time of Ryan Mallett's Death, Share Bodycam Footage

Mallett and Carter made their relationship Facebook official on June 1, just weeks before his death. The former NFL player, who was drafted out of the University of Arkansas by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft, played for the Baltimore Ravens from 2015 through 2017.

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The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that first responders were called to the beach in Destin, Florida shortly after 2 p.m. local time on Tuesday following a report that a group of people in the water were “struggling to make their way back to shore.”

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office called the former NFL player's death a "tragic loss of life" in a video statement.

"It’s always difficult when we lose a tourist or a resident here, but we have no indication of any dangerous conditions out there," Sheriff Eric Aden said. "The entire county, as well as Destin, were not under red flags or double red flags despite some of the misperceptions out there."

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