The sudden and tragic passing of 14-year-old Miller Gardner, the son of former New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner, continues to leave both the public and medical professionals searching for answers.
While authorities in Costa Rica work through an ongoing investigation, one doctor who treated Miller at the scene has shared chilling insight into the heartbreaking moments that unfolded-and why the cause of death remains unclear.
Dr. Kevin Gannon, who oversees Manuel Antonio Urgent Care near the upscale resort where the Gardner family was staying, was among the first medical professionals to respond after Miller was found unresponsive on Friday morning.
The family had been vacationing at Arenas Del Mar Beachfront & Rainforest Resort near Manuel Antonio National Park when tragedy struck. Gannon described the scene in stark terms.
“From what we encountered there, we could not verify a cause of death,” he told The New York Post. “To us, it was very confusing.”
According to Gannon, the teen had no vital signs by the time his team arrived.
“We responded to a minor without vitals,” he explained. “We tested him for cardiac arrest and performed CPR for more than 30 minutes. There was not really much we could significantly do.”
Illness after dinner, but no clear medical explanation
According to Dr. Gannon, the entire Gardner family had experienced vomiting the night before Miller’s death, which led initial responders to believe food poisoning might be involved.
Costa Rican police initially echoed this theory, suggesting the boy may have died from asphyxiation linked to foodborne illness. However, an early medical examination ruled out choking as the cause.
While food poisoning was initially considered, Gannon cast doubt on that explanation. He also addressed speculation about an allergic reaction to something Miller may have eaten.
“Some people are saying it was anaphylactic shock from food he ate. But I will say it is very, very rare for a patient to eat food and go that long without a reaction,” he said. “Usually it’s right away.”
Authorities have since begun exploring another theory-that Miller might have had an adverse reaction to medication he received after falling ill. However, Gannon pushed back on that possibility too.
“Allergic reactions to normal gastrointestinal medications are very rare,” he explained. “Most of the acute GI conditions can be treated with over-the-counter medication. And most do not have severe side effects or else they would not be over the counter.”
Gannon acknowledged that his team had never treated Miller before the emergency call and noted that he did not have full information about the events leading up to the boy’s collapse.
Still, he expressed hope that toxicology testing will help shed light on what caused such an unexpected and devastating death.
Toxicology results, however, may not come quickly. Officials in Costa Rica have cautioned that it could take months before definitive answers are available. In the meantime, the Gardner family remains in mourning, left to process a loss that came without warning.
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