The son of former New York Yankees star Brett Gardner, 14-year-old Miller Gardner, may have lost his life due to carbon monoxide poisoning while on a family trip to Costa Rica.
Authorities are now investigating after finding what they described as “high levels of carbon monoxide contamination” inside the family’s hotel room at the Arenas Del Mar Beachfront & Rainforest Resort. Translation: something in that hotel room went dangerously wrong.
When “Room with a View” Turns Into a Science Experiment Gone Wrong
According to Randall Zúñiga, the big boss at Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigative Agency, the source of the potential poisoning may have been a machine room next to the family’s suite. Now, I’m no scientist, but if a machine is pumping out gas strong enough to take people out, maybe—just maybe—that machine shouldn’t be hanging out next to vacationing families? Just a thought.
Investigators reportedly found carbon monoxide levels hitting a terrifying 600 parts per million in the room. For those of us who didn’t major in “Things That Can Kill You 101,” the safe amount of carbon monoxide indoors is zero. So yeah… not great, Bob.
Initial Confusion About the Cause
Before authorities pinpointed carbon monoxide as the likely culprit, there was speculation that Miller may have suffered from an allergic reaction to food poisoning medication or another toxic substance. However, those theories were ruled out faster than someone realizing they booked a haunted Airbnb.
Miller was found unresponsive in the hotel room on March 21 after he and several family members had fallen ill. According to Dr. Kevin Gannon of Manuel Antonio Urgent Care, medics attempted CPR for 30 minutes but were unfortunately unable to revive him.
A Devastating Loss
The New York Yankees paid tribute to Miller during their Opening Day game, a heartbreaking reminder that life is fragile—even for the families of baseball legends.
This is a gut-wrenching loss for the Gardner family, and it also raises serious questions about hotel safety. Because let’s be real—vacation should come with piña coladas and awkward tan lines, not hazardous gas leaks.
Our hearts go out to Brett Gardner and his loved ones. Hopefully, this tragedy leads to changes that prevent something like this from ever happening again.
