Free Republic

Former NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett, a third-round draft pick of the Patriots in 2011, has died in a drowning accident around Destin, Fla., the Arkansas-based website Deltaplex News reported Tuesday. He was 35. Mallett was transported from a beach to a hospital, and pronounced dead on arrival, sources told the outlet. SNIP “I am extremely saddened by Ryan’s tragic passing,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said in a statement released by the team “My thoughts and prayers are with his family and the many people whose lives he touched.” “Tough one to swallow,” former Patriots receiver Julian Edelman tweeted. “Thoughts are...

The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Monday that a body found Sunday evening at Laguna Creek State Beach in Santa Cruz is that of Cash Bradley Paul Ebright. The 17-year-old disappeared while walking on the rocks on the south side of the beach last Monday, September 20th. California State Parks, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, CalFire, the California Highway Patrol, and Santa Cruz Fire all responded. State Parks led the investigation and continued to look for him last week. Investigators say his body was found close to where he was pulled into the water. Ebright attended San Lorenzo...

WILMINGTON, N.C. — The deadly season along North Carolina's coast continues as three people died after pulled from waters along the southeastern coast. Media outlets report the drownings occurred Saturday off Wrightsville Beach, Holden Beach and Sunset Beach. Coastline Rescue Chief David Robinson says a surfer pulled a 20-year-old man from the waters off Holden Beach. Robinson says officials believe the man got caught in a rip current.

Powells Point, N.C. — Beach-goers in the Outer Banks got a powerful reminder of the dangers of the ocean after a man drowned Thursday. According to police, the drowning victim, Kenny Ray Gooch, 32, was from Powells Point and sacrificed himself to save his girlfriend’s son. “We heard screams of help in the water and we looked out and there were multiple people in the water, somewhat scattered,” one witness said. Southern Shores police said three teenage boys were swimming north of the Kitty Hawk Pier at about 8 p.m. Thursday when they got pulled too far out. Gooch jumped...

When Jessica and Derek Simmons first saw the beachgoers pausing to stare toward the water, the young couple just assumed someone had spotted a shark. It was the evening of July 8, after all, peak summer season in Panama City Beach for overheated Florida tourists to cross paths with curious marine life. Then they noticed flashing lights by the boardwalk, a police truck on the sand and nearly a dozen bobbing heads about 100 yards beyond the beach, crying desperately for help. Six members of a single family - four adults and two young boys - and four other swimmers...