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“Never Going to Be the Same..”: 93 Days After Daughter’s Tragedy, Buccaneer Shaquil Barrett Breaks Silence on His Family’s ‘Daily Battle’

Published 08/01/2023, 3:01 PM EDT

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The month of April this year snatched away the happiness of the Barrett family. Tom Brady’s former teammate, the outside linebacker Shaq Barrett, along with his family, is mourning the loss of their beloved child, whose bright presence once brought joy and laughter to their home. Arrayah Sue Barrett celebrated her second birthday on April 19, but little did the family know it would be their final celebration with her.

Just a week after turning two, Arrayah passed away, leaving behind a void that can never be filled. Yesterday, the Buccaneers’ OL Shaquil Barrett, came forward and broke his silence in a press conference, expressing his feelings with heartfelt and touching words.

Shaquil Barrett opens up about a painful memory

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As the Bucs commenced their training camp, the team’s OL also returned to the field. However, after completing Day 5 of Training Camp on Monday, Shaquil Barrett opened up to the media about his journey back from a torn Achilles tendon injury he suffered in Week 8 of the previous season. During the interview, he bravely discussed the major loss his family experienced and expressed his deep yearning for his sunshine, his baby girl, Arrayah.

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This training camp would have been Arrayah’s first experience attending practice alongside her mother, Jordanna, and her three older siblings. Barrett shared that he felt a little heavier than usual yesterday, and the memories of the incident remain “a daily battle”, a tough one. He emotionally expressed, “We must definitely have a big big big big big uh hole in our hearts, but we still got our other three kids that’s still helping us fill the void a little…..but we know it’s never going to be the same without her.

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The pain of the loss of their 2-year-old in a tragic incident has left an undeniable impact, making each day a challenge for the Barrett family.

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The worst day for the Barrett family

On April 30, the Barrett family experienced a shocking and devastating tragedy. Shaquil Barrett and Jordanna faced the heart-wrenching loss of their 2-year-old daughter, Arrayah, who tragically drowned in the swimming pool of their Tampa, Florida home. Despite Jordanna’s swift efforts to rush her little girl to the hospital, nothing could be done to save her.

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No signs of foul play were found, but the police initiated an investigation into the tragic accident. Arrayah, born on April 19, 2021, was a precious gift to her parents. As their youngest child, she brought boundless joy and love into their lives. Though her life was tragically short, she left an indelible mark on her family and everyone who had the pleasure of knowing her. However, in a twist of fate, a few weeks after Arrayah’s passing, Shaquil and Jordanna discovered that they were expecting another baby girl, as shared by Jordanna on her Instagram.

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Written by:

Bhwya Sriya

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Bhwya Sriya is an NFL Writer at EssentiallySports. With a Master's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from an esteemed university, Bhwya tries to amalgamate her love for sports with her creativity. Her interest in sports arose when Bhwya represented her district on a race track in school.
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Edited by:

Nidhi