Brett Gardner, the former Yankees speedster who roamed the outfield for 14 seasons, is grappling with a parent’s worst nightmare: his son Miller passed away at just 14 years old on Friday, March 21, 2025. The news broke yesterday, March 23, when Brett and his wife Jessica shared their grief through a family statement released by the Yankees, hitting the wires. It’s a gut punch for a family known to baseball fans, and the loss of Miller—full of life one moment, gone the next—has left everyone stunned.
The Gardners were on a family getaway when tragedy struck. Brett and Jessica said Miller got sick during the trip, along with a few others in their crew, though they didn’t say where they were or what hit them. “Our youngest boy, Miller, left us way too early after he fell ill on vacation with several family members,” they wrote. He went to bed that night and never woke up—passing in his sleep, a detail that offers little solace amid their shock. “We’re wrestling with more questions than we’ve got answers for right now,” they added, their words heavy with bewilderment.
Miller wasn’t just any 14-year-old—he was the heartbeat of the Gardner home, the younger brother to Hunter, and a kid who packed every day with gusto. “He was our beloved son and brother, and we can’t wrap our heads around a world without his big, bright grin,”. Football, baseball, golf—he loved them all, just like his dad, and he’d spend hours hunting or fishing whenever he could. “That boy lived every second to the max,” they said, and you can almost hear the pride through their pain.
The Yankees, where Brett won a World Series in 2009, felt it too. “Miller had a spark in his eye and a feisty, warm spirit that lit up any room,” the team said yesterday. He grew up in their orbit, a familiar face to a franchise that adored his dad.
Holding Tight, Asking for Space
Brett and Jessica aren’t facing this alone—they’re surrounded by love. “We’re so grateful for everyone who’s reached out with kind words and support,” they wrote, leaning hard on “faith, family, and friends,”. But they’re also begging for breathing room: “Please give us space to grieve and figure out how to heal.” They’re thinking of Miller’s buddies too—his teammates and pals—praying for them and every family who’s lost a kid too young.
The Yankees stepped up with their own promise. “We’re brokenhearted for Brett, Jessica, Hunter, and their whole circle,” the team said. “No words feel big enough for this kind of hurt, but we’re here for them, no question.” It’s a nod to Brett’s 17 years with the club—a bond that’s now a lifeline.