RIP

It's only been a week since former NFL QB Ryan Mallett's tragic death ... a moment obviously still weighing heavy on his girlfriend, as she shared in a heartbreaking message.

Madison Carter took to Facebook Sunday night, writing, "I prayed for you for 27 years, and we finally found each other. 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."

She goes on to talk about how loving Mallett was, always looking for the good in the world ... a trait many who knew him outside of football were quick to notice about Ryan.

Madison continues, "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."

It was June 27 when Mallett drowned in Florida, a spokesperson for the Okaloosa Co. Sheriff's Office called the incident a "tragic loss of life," but indicated there were no dangerous conditions at the beach to cause Mallett's death.

Frightening new details have emerged about the 5 people trapped inside the Titanic-bound sub ... and what they experienced leading up to their deaths, which was nothing less than a nightmare come true.

The doomed passengers were engulfed in darkness the entire time they were inside the Titan submersible while descending into the depths of the North Atlantic Ocean to view the wreckage of the Titanic on June 18, according to the New York Times.

As you know, Titan imploded after it took off on its voyage from St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, killing everybody on board, including OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, whose company ran the ill-fated operation.

Christine Dawood, whose husband Shahzada and son Suleman also perished, told the NYT .... Rush turned off all the floodlights on the way down to the ocean floor to conserve battery power for the tour of the Titanic, leaving the passengers in almost total darkness.

Dawood said the only light in the sub came from glowing marine organisms, such as flaming fungus, shimmering squid, and flashing fish. She noted laptop computer screens provided slightly more illumination, but that was it.

Christine also said OceanGate recommended the passengers download their favorite tunes onto their phones so they could listen to the tracks on a Bluetooth speaker for what was supposed to be a four-hour expedition. Country music, though, was barred from everyone's playlist.

Dawood learned all this information because she was present during the tutorial to go over safety procedures before her husband and son launched to sea.

Jay Bloom and his son, Sean, dodged death by skipping a ride on the doomed Titan submersible at the last minute -- and, now they're explaining why ... red flags galore.

The multimillionaire Vegas tycoon -- who recently disclosed he and his boy were on the verge of being passengers themselves -- were out in Bev Hills and he further explained what he and Sean saw that gave them major pause.

It sounds like it was the younger Bloom in this instance that might've saved his old man -- based on what he describes here ... common sense and good judgment kicked in.

Take a listen for yourself ... Sean says there were a few things that stood out to him when he did his research -- including the fact that OceanGate's CEO, Stockton Rush, was literally piloting this thing with nothing more than a Logitech video game controller.

That spelled trouble to Sean ... as did the actual construction/makeup of the vessel itself, which Sean wisely surmised would not be able to withstand the ocean's immense pressure at those far-down depths. While Titan had completed successful voyages up until that point, something in Sean's gut told him to steer clear ... and they obviously chose correctly.

As we all know  ... the five people aboard, including Rush, perished after the sub imploded. Their spots were given to another father-son duo (Shahzada and Suleman Dawood) which is something that, as Jay and Sean explain, lingers. As they say, it could've been them.

Jay believes that Stockton's decision-making did not come from a bad place... but he was just so passionate about his project that it clouded his judgment.

Now, here's the kicker ... Jay and Sean say their prospective Titanic exploration days are NOT behind them, despite everything that's unfolded. In fact, they're down to go down there ... but with the right person.

France was roiled by riots for a fourth night Friday after police killed a 17-year-old as the country's leader, Emmanuel Macron, blasted the protesters.

Mobs of people went on an evening rampage through the streets of a Paris suburb, where the teen, identified as Nahel M, was fatally shot by cops during a traffic stop Tuesday.

The crowds expressed their fury over Nahel's death by smashing windows and setting cars and buildings ablaze. They also violently clashed with cops in riot gear as more than 1,300 demonstrators were arrested and detained overnight all across France.

France's Interior Ministry said 2,560 fires were reported on public roads, 1,350 cars were burned, and there were 234 incidents involving damaged or charred buildings.

In addition, police were attacked 58 times by militants and 79 officers suffered injuries. A total of 45,000 cops were dispatched Friday to quell the chaos in the Paris suburb and other towns and cities like Marseille.

President Macron condemned the combatants, accusing them of justifying their anarchy by "unacceptable exploitation of the adolescent's death."

Caleb Willingham, best known as the husband of "1000-Lb. Sisters" star Tammy Slaton, has died.

His stepmom, Shirley Willingham, confirmed the sad news to TMZ ... but couldn’t provide further details or a cause of death.

As you might know, Caleb -- nicknamed "Killa K" or "Double K," was an infrequent, yet much-beloved character on the reality show alongside Tammy chronicling their constant battle with weight. In 2022, the two met at a rehab facility in Ohio, where they underwent treatment for obesity and they tied the knot that same year.

Weeks later, Slaton told People mag, "Our wedding day was perfect, there was so much love in the room. I literally married my best friend."

But The Sun reported the couple split in May because Caleb was not following his diet, and Tammy was reportedly getting set to file for divorce.

Caleb was 40.

RIP

Former WWE star Darren Drozdov -- who was tragically paralyzed after suffering an injury during a match in 1999 -- has died ... the wrestling org. announced Friday.

He was 54 years old.

"There are no words to convey the deep sense of loss and sadness we are feeling right now," Drozdov's family said in a statement. "We would like to extend our deepest appreciation to everyone. All of his fans, teammates, colleagues, and friends for all the love and support he received over the years."

"You all gave him meaning, purpose and something to live for," the Drozdov family continued. "He loved each and every one of you and cherished the conversations, notes and letters he received. His faith in humanity never faltered, so know that for all the love you've shown him, he loved you back."

Drozdov's family added that he passed away due to natural causes.

Drozdov was initially introduced to the sports world through football ... when he played noseguard in the NFL for three seasons.

But, following the end of his playing days, he found his true calling in wrestling ... first appearing in the ECW -- before debuting with the WWE in 1998.

Drozdov initially competed under the pseudonym "Puke" -- a nickname he had previously been given for his affinity for throwing up during football games -- but, he later wrestled as "Droz" ... gaining fame for the way he teamed up with the Road Warriors.

Sadly, in Oct. 1999 -- just as his wrestling career looked poised to take off -- he broke his neck in a match with D'Lo Brown ... and was paralyzed from the neck down.

He eventually gained movement in his arms and upper body -- but he would still require a wheelchair to get around for the rest of his life. He did, though, remain steadfast that Brown was not to blame for the incident -- and the two stayed friends over the years.

Following Drozdov's passing Friday ... Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson penned an emotional tribute to the wrestler, writing on his social media page, "We wrestled on a lot of cards together. Such an awesome dude."

"Great personality and great wrestling talent," he added. "We always talked about football and fishing. Sending love, strength, mana and light to his family. RIP brother."

Alan Arkin, the Oscar and Tony-winning actor, most famous for playing Edwin the grandfather in "Little Miss Sunshine, has died.

Alan's sons confirmed the actor died Friday morning at his home, telling People, “Our father was a uniquely talented force of nature, both as an artist and a man. A loving husband, father, grand and great grandfather, he was adored and will be deeply missed.”

The legendary actor started as a stage performer, joining Chicago's Second City comedy troupe as an early member before making his Broadway debut in 1961 in "From the Second City" ... picking up a Tony 2 years later for his work in "Enter Laughing."

Alan's worked consistently through the decades -- most notably in films like "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter," receiving an Oscar nomination for his performance ... as well as other projects like "The In-Laws," "Argo," and "Little Miss Sunshine," for which he won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

His lengthy list of credits also includes projects like "The Kominsky Method," "Inspector Clouseau," "Edward Scissorhands," "The Rocketeer," "Will & Grace," and "Glengarry Glen Ross."

TMZ broke the story, he suffered a stroke in 2015, although there was no major damage.

He was 89.

Nike is gearing up to relaunch Kobe Bryant's line with the Swoosh, the sportswear giant's CEO announced to investors on Thursday ... and fans won't have to wait long, products are expected to drop before the end of August!

CEO John Donahue spoke on an earnings call this week, where he announced some seriously awesome news ... "It's going to be an exciting summer as we set the stage to relaunch the Kobe brand in advance of Kobe Day on 8.24," JD said.

Donahue, nor Nike, expounded further, so specifics surrounding Kobe's brand are still unclear.

A relaunch wasn't always a foregone conclusion. The longtime partnership between Nike and Kobe/KB's estate came to an end in April 2021 when a new contract could not be agreed upon.

Fast forward to March 2022 ... when Vanessa Bryant announced the estate reached a new deal with Nike, restoring one of the most successful partnerships in shoewear history.

At the time, Vanessa said of the new agreement ... "We're excited to announce our partnership with Nike is going to continue! I am so proud that my husband's shoes are still the most worn by players on NBA courts and that the demand for his shoes remains so desired by his fans around the world."

Bryant continued ... "With this new partnership, fans will soon be able to have access to Kobe and Gigi Nike products for years to come and with Nike donating 100% of the net proceeds yearly for Gianna’s shoes to our Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation."

Since the reunion, the releases from Nike have been sparse. There were Kobe 4 and 6's released on a limited basis, but there haven't been any major drops.

French Prez Emmanuel Macron got his groove on Thursday night in Paris, as rioters hit the streets protesting a police shooting that killed a 17-year-old.

Macron and his wife hit up Elton John's Farewell Tour in Paris, seeming at least on the surface unbothered by the explosion of violence in his country.

The riots were triggered by a confrontation Tuesday in the city of Nanterre, who French police fatally shot a driver in the chest ... after the 17-year-old tried to leave the scene.

Rioters hit the streets in several cities. So far more than 600 hundred people have been arrested for starting fires, looting and other crimes.

Macron has said the riots are just an excuse to commit crimes, calling it "an unacceptable exploitation of the adolescent's death."

Some rioters have compared the police shooting to the George Floyd murder.

Travis Scott is in the crosshairs of a Texas grand jury ... facing possible criminal prosecution for the deadly Astroworld tragedy.

The rapper's lawyer, Kent Schaffer, tells TMZ ... the Harris County Grand Jury is meeting now, to decide whether his client should be prosecuted for continuing to perform at the 2021 festival as thousands of people in the crowd stampeded ... causing 10 people to die and an untold number injured.

Travis' attorney tells us the rapper will NOT be testifying and his team remains hopeful the jurors will agree Travis did not commit any crime.

Travis has maintained from the beginning he had no idea there was a stampede and points to the fact many police officers in the crowd who were responsible for the safety of the fans were clueless as well. In fact, you see in the videos some cops dancing as Travis performs.

The deadly concert sparked a number of civil lawsuits against Travis and the festival's organizers ... but he has never been criminally charged.

We reached out to the Harris County District Attorney's Office ... and they declined to comment.

There's been a grisly discovery among the wreckage of the doomed Titan submersible recovered from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean -- presumed human remains.

The U.S. Coast Guard announced Wednesday the remains were found in the debris field from the submersible's catastrophic implosion, only 1600 feet from the bow of the infamous Titanic shipwreck.

Now, the presumed human remains will be transported to the U.S. for analysis ... as part of an international investigation into the OceanGate sub tragedy.

As we reported ... the sub wreckage is now back on land, several pieces of the Titan were unloaded Wednesday in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada from the Horizon Arctic ship.

Ryan Mallett's death does not appear to have been the result of violent riptides in Florida waters ... according to authorities, the belief is the tragedy was all simply a freak accident.

Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden said in a video statement Wednesday there was "no indication of dangerous conditions" in the Destin area where Mallett drowned on Tuesday.

"We were under a yellow flag," Aden said, "which is a just swim with caution."

"It just seems to be just a tragic accident and not something to do with the conditions of the surf or tides or currents."

Initial reports said Mallett was among a group of swimmers who had been out in the ocean struggling to make their way back to shore. Mallett, authorities said, went underwater while fighting to return to safety -- and when he was eventually pulled out, he was unresponsive. He later was pronounced dead at a local emergency room.

Many had believed dangerous and unseen riptides were what caused the tragedy ... but Aden insisted those were "misperceptions out there."

"There were no indications of any 'riptides,'" Aden's office added in a written statement.

Authorities also released some body cam footage Wednesday from the incident ... showing the beach's conditions as officers raced to the scene.

Mallett's death rocked the sports world ... everyone from Tom Brady to Rob Gronkowski to Bill Belichick mourned his passing in the hours after the news broke.

DC Young Fly is staying strong with the support of God and his children following the sudden death of his partner Jacky Oh! ... telling us it's important to stay positive, even when things get tough behind the scenes.

DC was back to work in NYC Wednesday, sharing he's understandably broken up over Jacky's death. DC admits his wounds are still raw, and he still cries over her loss ... but he's not someone who will post his emotional heartache online.

Overall, DC says his new mission is to continue to inspire people who may also be down after a significant loss.

DC and Jacky have three beautiful kids -- ages 6, 2 and 10 months -- and admits the conversations with his young ones have been tough. Admittedly, DC says you really truly understand what those emotions are like until you experience a personal tragedy.

Jacky died on May 31 after undergoing some sort of medical procedure, shedding light on a larger conversation about cosmetic surgery.

We're now getting a first look at the wreckage from the Titan submersible recovered from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.

The photos, taken Wednesday in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada show crews unloading several pieces of the Titan from the Horizon Arctic ship.

It's tough to tell what the items are, but at least one of them appears to be the black landing gear from the base of the Titan.

From here, investigators will likely take the recovered pieces for additional study in an effort to determine exactly what led to the "catastrophic implosion" that killed 5.

As we reported, the Titan disappeared Sunday June 18 about 2 hours after it started its mission to the wreckage of the Titanic.

Cops were dispatched to the Duggar home in Arkansas just hours after Jim Bob's uncle died of a heart attack ... TMZ has learned.

Officers arrived at Jim Bob and Michelle's compound around 8:30 Sunday morning for a "follow-up investigation" about 2 hours after Jim Bob's uncle Tommy died.

According to a police report, obtained by TMZ, officers spoke to Tommy's husband, Lawrence, who told them Tommy had felt ill the night before and had fallen over multiple times. Lawrence claimed 75-year-old Tommy refused to go to the hospital because he was afraid he'd be put in a nursing home.

However, when he was in the bathroom Sunday morning, Lawrence claimed Tommy yelled for help before collapsing against the door unresponsive. Tommy was pronounced dead at home, and the report states he died of natural causes.

What's puzzling is why police went to Jim Bob and Michelle's home if Lawrence was already aware of the death. In fact, we've never known a case where cops paid a visit to other than next of kin to inform them someone died.

Tom Brady sent a heartfelt message to Ryan Mallett and his family after the former quarterback tragically died on Tuesday ... writing in a sweet note, "We lost a great man."

The Patriots legend -- who was teammates with Mallett in New England from 2011 to 2013 -- posted the message to his Instagram page ... adding, "Thank you for everything Ryan."

"Praying for the Mallett family and all their loved ones tonight."

The post went up only hours after cops say Mallett drowned while swimming in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday afternoon.

According to the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, Mallett was part of a group of swimmers who had been "struggling to make their way back to shore" after getting in the water at around 2:12 PM

Cops say Mallett went under ... and when he was finally pulled from the ocean, he wasn't breathing. He was later pronounced dead at a local emergency room.

The passing shocked the NFL world ... in addition to Brady, several other stars penned tributes to the ex-QB on their social media pages, including J.J. Watt -- Mallett's former teammate in Houston -- who wrote, "Gone way too soon. Rest in Peace brother."

Dez Bryant and Rob Gronkowski added messages of their own to Mallett on their Instagrams as well.

Mallett was just 35 years old.