After an emotional Opening Day in the Bronx, New York Yankees star Aaron Judge turned his attention to his former teammate Brett Gardner after the death of his 14-year-old son, Miller.
“He may not have been the big superstar with all the All-Stars and MVPs and this and that,” Judge, 32, told reporters of Brett after the Yankees 4-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday, March 27. “But this guy was a leader of all of us. A second dad to some guys.”
Judge added, “He poured everything into every single guy. If we were having a tough time, he was always there for you to be someone to lean on, someone to joke on.”
The Yankees star said Brett’s entire family has “been on my mind.” Judge and Brett played together in New York from 2016 to 2021, when Brett retired.
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According to NJ.com, Judge even lived with Gardner and his family in upstate New York for a brief time in 2017.
Brett was vacationing in Costa Rica with his wife, Jessica Gardner, and their older son, Hunter, at the time of Miller’s death on Friday, March 21.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone also spoke about Brett prior to Opening Day on Thursday.
“It’s been devastating,” Boone, 52, told reporters. “As much as the excitement of today, there’s no question we’ll be playing with heavy hearts today, and throughout the year and playing with Miller in mind.”
Miller’s legacy was honored during a pregame ceremony before Thursday’s game at Yankee Stadium.
“Before the singing of our anthem, please join the Yankees in a moment of silence as we honor a member of the Yankees family, Miller Gardner, the son of former Yankees outfielder, Brett Gardner,” PA announcer Paul Olden said. “Miller passed away last week.”
Olden continued, “He had a spark in his eyes, had outgoing and feisty personality and a warm and loving nature. 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 entire Yankees organization grieves this unimaginable loss with Brett, his wife, Jessica, and their son, Hunter. Miller Gardner was just 14 years old.”
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Miller’s death was announced by Brett and Jessica on Sunday, March 23, in a statement released by the Yankees.
“With heavy hearts we are saddened to announce the passing of our youngest son, Miller,” the statement read. “He was 14 years old and has left us far too soon after falling ill along with several other family members while on vacation. We have so many questions and so few answers at this point, but we do know that he passed away peacefully in his sleep on the morning of Friday, March 21st.”
The statement continued, “Miller was a beloved son and brother and we cannot yet comprehend our life without his infectious smile. He loved football, baseball, golf, hunting, fishing, his family and his friends. He lived life to the fullest every single day.”
A cause of death for Miller has not been announced. Autopsy and toxicology results are expected to take at least two to three months due to an outbreak of violent gang activity in Costa Rica.
