Social media influencer Andrew Cross, known as “Desert Drifter” on YouTube, had his life support turned off this week after an agonizing decision made by his family.
After more than a month of being in a coma after suffering a severe traumatic brain injury in a car accident, the Mesa County Coroner’s Office in Colorado confirmed the death of the 36-year-old.
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His wife Evelyn tells TMZ … Andrew’s injuries impacted his ability to regain consciousness and after weeks of “prayer, information gathering, and discussion,” his family had to make the heartbreaking decision to withdraw life support on Monday in order to honor the quality of life that he previously shared he would want.
The coroner’s investigation revealed the desert adventurer passed away from injuries sustained in a two-car accident on January 31, when he was rear-ended at high speed while waiting at a stoplight.
He was rushed to the hospital and immediately underwent brain surgery to control the bleeding on his brain. He had been in the intensive care unit ever since.
The driver of the other vehicle, Ragnar Nickolas Kristl, has been charged with vehicular homicide, reckless driving, careless driving, and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Soon after the accident, Andrew’s wife, Evelyn, posted a video on his YouTube channel, asking his community to pray and send best wishes. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help his family pay medical expenses, raising nearly $500K.
Andrew was 36.
RIP
