Shaquil Barrett Shares Family Update 2 Years After Daughter’s Drowning

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Shaquil Barrett’s family is turning their grief into a learning lesson.

Approximately two years following the heartbreaking announcement by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker about the unfortunate death of his 2-year-old daughter Arrayah, who drowned in a swimming pool, Jordanna Barrett and he are now working to raise awareness about this tragedy as they continue their journey through grief.

Shaquil described their family’s emotional journey as an ongoing battle during his July 20 interview on Good Morning America,” or

“On Good Morning America in July 20, Shaquil referred to their family’s journey as a constant struggle that doesn’t get any easier but they manage through communication with each other and their loved ones.

The NFL player, who has children Shaquil Jr. (13), Braylon (12), Aaliyah (10), Allanah (17 months), and 1-month-old Amaiah Marie with Jordanna, underscores the importance of having regular conversations with their kids to ensure they’re all thriving.

The pair that got married in 2012 have found it beneficial to have their community support them as they continue to progress and heal appropriately.

Reflecting on the past, Shaquil conceded that they overlooked a fundamental precaution in pool safety by not installing a fence or barrier around the water.

He clarified that there was no fence around the pool, which was a significant issue. Initially, they had door sensors installed, but due to constant in-and-out activity by the children, they grew tired of it and eventually disabled the door sensors.

It was observed that on a chilly April morning in 2023, they unwittingly forgot to secure the gate near the stairs which provided access to the pool, and unfortunately, they had also disabled the door alarms.

After the unfortunate passing of Arrayah, the athlete expressed that they hadn’t realized that life vests and floatation devices could give a misleading feeling of safety to infants.

He pointed out that children might believe they can swim due to regularly wearing life vests. In future conversations, he mentioned that him and Jordan have taken precautions for potential emergencies or difficult situations.

After the death of their daughter, Shaquil and Jordanna have become more hands-on with their children. In June, they shared that their 17-month-old daughter Allanah had completed Infant Swimming Resource classes, which teach babies survival skills in water.

She shared a snap of their toddler with a medal, writing, “so proud of our Allanah girl.”

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2025-07-21 18:17