NFL Star Speaks Out on Pool Safety After Daughter’s Death

At the Glazer Children's Museum, Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Shaquil Barrett met with parents to discuss water safety. The NFL player partnered with Watermelon Swim, reading to kids and sharing crucial safety advice. His mission started two years after a devastating loss.

In April 2023, Barrett's world shattered when his two-year-old daughter, Arrayah, slipped through an open pool gate. At the museum, he shared the painful details: "She unfortunately had access to the back door, then the gate was unlocked, and then we didn't have a pool gate at the time."

State data shows a stark reality: Florida tops the charts in drowning deaths among kids aged 1-4 from 2019-2021. Barrett channels his grief into action, working to shield other families from such pain.

"Like I hate getting into it, because it's never easy to talk about," said Barrett to FOX 13. "But, I do try to talk about it a little more often."

The Super Bowl winner pushed for layered protection methods. "No matter all the safety precautions that you have, accidents still can happen. So make sure you teach your child how to survive in a pool for whatever amount of time they need to survive until somebody could come and help."

A new state law brings hope. In 2024, Gov. Ron DeSantis backed swim lesson funding for qualified families, making water safety training more accessible statewide.

Through his work with Watermelon Swim, Barrett shows kids vital safety skills. The school builds water confidence in students of any age, teaching life-saving techniques.

Barrett's talks stress three key shields: locked pool gates, working door alarms, and early swim training. His words carry the weight of experience: a father turning personal loss into public good.