Deaf Colorado man dies from auto accident

A deaf man from Colorado Springs, Mick Gardner, passed away from injuries sustained in a car accident on Saturday. He died after midnight on Monday in a hospital. He was 30.

Some of you may remember Gardner from an interview I did with him on “The Daily Moth” two years ago. He was hailed as a hero for making a citizen’s arrest of a man who tried to rob the cash register of a Burger King.

[Video clip showing Mick making a citizen’s arrest]

Mick Gardner:
I was watching him to see if he touched the money. I was ready to grab him when he touched it. I wasn’t thinking if he had a gun or a knife. I have guts. It didn’t matter if he had weapons. What was important to me is that we are safe. Don’t rob money. Leave them alone.

Alex (Daily Moth):
What happened in the crash? KKTV News reported that Gardner was driving in a Honda car past an intersection when a Tesla car made a left turn. Both cars collided and the Honda spun off the road and crashed into a fire hydrant. The Colorado Springs Police Department said both drivers saw a yellow light. Police also said neither excessive speeds or impairment are considered factors in this crash.

In a strange coincidence, a deaf woman happened to be nearby at a 7-11 when the crash happened. Her name is Michi Moncada. Here is a clip of an interview with her.

Michi Moncada:
I went to the 7-11 to get a drink. I drove back on the road and was watching the traffic lights. I saw that it turned red and there was suddenly a burst of smoke. The Tesla and Mick’s car collided as it was making a turn. Mick’s car was pushed off the road. I swerved around quickly. Mick’s car was next to me. I was the first person at the scene before other witnesses came. I saw it… Mick’s legs were trapped in the twisted wreckage.

Ramiro Moncada:
She didn’t realize that it was Mick. She didn’t know at the time, he was not yet identified.

Michi Moncada:
I went around the car. I saw people calling for emergency services. I looked through the side window and saw that he was crouched in a tight space with the steering wheel above his head. I couldn’t see his face, only the back of his head. He made a gesture by pointing to his legs. It wasn’t clear. He didn’t sign “help” or anything. He just pointed down while holding the steering wheel. I could only watch and there were other hearing people that came. I called him immediately.

Ramiro Moncada:
When I arrived, there were heavy rescue crews and police blocking the road. There were seven or eight firefighters working on it. They were taking apart the door. It was intense and I didn’t realize it was Mick.

Michi Moncada:
When I checked the news in the morning, I was so shocked. I told him, “It was Mick!” I was so shocked and speechless.

Ramiro Moncada:
He used to be my student at CSDB. And I’m very shocked.

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Alex (Daily Moth):
Thank you for sharing. I was also able to reach out to a close friend of Gardner, David Maldonado. He last saw him on the Friday before the crash.

David Maldonado:
He’s gone. It’s unexpected. It’s like he’s not there anymore. As if he disappeared from Earth. When I got home, tears poured out. He didn’t have his own children, but loved his ex-girlfriend’s son. They had a strong relationship and he taught him about fixing cars. I saw it myself when he taught him and they enjoyed it. Mick was a very good mechanic and knew how to remove an engine and reinstall it back. He was also very talented at welding. He worked on a staircase in a building, it was a big project. I was very impressed. His boss loved him so much. He was doing good and rising, and now he’s gone. One last thing -- please, please tell everyone to wear the seat belt. Period. Because he didn’t wear a seatbelt in that situation. Please wear the belt. Period. I have to be blunt here. If he wore a belt, he would have been alive, possibly. So that’s it.

Alex (Daily Moth):
His funeral will be on Saturday in Colorado Springs. There is a GoFundMe set up by his cousin, the link is in the transcript.

I want to show you one more clip of Gardner.

Mick Gardner:
I like to prove that deaf people can do it. We as a community can support each other to look at how deaf people can. Most hearing people just ignore deaf people. But I say, hey, look, we can. I’m not someone who is a “hero” or is prideful. I want to help people see that deaf can do it. That’s all.

https://coloradosprings.gov/police-department/article/news/traffic-crash-barnes-rd-and-antelope-ridge

https://www.kktv.com/2021/01/20/man-dies-from-injuries-in-weekend-crash/

https://krdo.com/news/2021/01/20/man-dies-from-injuries-days-after-intersection-crash-at-barnes-rd-and-antelope-ridge-dr/?fbclid=IwAR1iH1QdjI368_fKQD9iayMN-P8y3fiUEcJ-Fniw7PK9usz147pSR4gii4E

GoFundMe: https://bit.ly/3iGidki