Yankees hold moment of silence for Brett Gardner’s late son Miller amid probe into teen’s tragic death
The New York Yankees paid tribute to Brett Gardner’s late son Miller prior to their opening MLB game of the season following his tragic death in Costa Rica.
Miller, 14, was found dead in his hotel room while on vacation with dad Brett and the rest of the Gardner family in the Central American country last week.
Amid an investigation into what caused his sudden passing, the Yankees honored the memory of their former outfielder’s son by holding a moment of silence before their season opener against the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday.
Both sets of teams lined up along the diamond to pay their respects just under a week since tragedy rocked the Gardner family.
‘Miller had a spark in his eyes, an outgoing and feisty personality, and a warm and loving nature,’ the Yankee Stadium announce said over the PA system.
‘Miller grew up in the Yankees organization and had become a two-sport athlete, wearing his father’s No. 11 on his football jersey.
The Yankees paid tribute to Brett Gardner’s late son Miller before their MLB season opener
Miller (second from right) died while on vacation with dad Brett (right) and family in Costa Rica
‘The entire Yankees organization grieves this unimaginable loss with Brett, his wife Jessica, and their son Hunter.’
Brett, who won the World Series with the Yankees in 2009, and wife Jessica revealed in a heartbreaking announcement on Sunday that Miller had died after falling ill ‘along with several other family members’ on vacation.
The teenager’s cause of death is still unclear. 24 hours after Brett and Jessica’s devastating statement, the preliminary cause of death was initially ruled as asphyxiation after eating.
That was before investigators claimed on Tuesday that asphyxia has been ruled out as there was no obstruction of his airway when he died, with authorities now probing whether he had an allergic reaction to medication.
Anxious locals in the Costa Rican town of Manuel Antonio are nervously awaiting the verdict amid fears jail sentences could be handed out.
‘It’s a hard topic,’ a bartender at one hotel in the resort town told The New York Post. ‘Everyone is worried because someone — a chef or someone who made the food — could go to jail. People are talking about it.’
He added: ‘Everyone in town is nervous.’
Brett, 41, played 14 seasons with the Yankees between 2008 and 2021 and was part of their 2009 World Series-winning outfit. He was said to be highly respected within the organization and forged close ties with the likes of Aaron Judge.
The 14-year-old was found dead in his room at the luxurious Arenas del Mar Beachfront and Rainforest Resort in Manuel Antonio on Friday morning
Dad Brett spent his entire Major League Baseball career as an outfielder with the Yankees
After the tragic news surfaced over the weekend, current Yankees manager Aaron Boone and his predecessor Joe Girardi – who coached Gardner for a decade in New York – offered their deepest condolences.
‘We talk about being family all the time and even though Brett’s been gone for a few years, that doesn’t stop,’ Boone told reporters. ‘A lot of people in there [the clubhouse] that know that family intimately. It’s a very tough day and very tough news.’
‘As best we can, we’ll be praying for the Gardner family and where we can, offering support,’ he added. ‘That’s kind of the unimaginable that unfortunately that’s where we are with it. Very sad. Very tough.’
YES Network’s play-by-play man Michael Kay announced Miller’s passing during the Yankees’ Grapefruit League game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday, which Girardi was commentating on at the time.
‘You get to know their kids, and they get to know yours,’ the former Yankees manager said. ‘It hits hard. I am just devastated for Brett and Jessica.’
