Tribute to 'loyal, funny and fiercely protective' man who has sadly passed away following collision on A34 Gatley

We sadly must confirm that the driver of a white VW Golf R estate involved in a single vehicle collision on Monday 26 May on the A34 in Gatley has since passed away from his injuries.

The driver, a 24-year-old man, has been named as Sam Gardiner. His family have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers. They have asked for privacy at this terrible time.

Left: Jo and Sam on RATW in 2019 © BBC and right: Sam on a ‘hopper’ airplane over the Whitsunday Islands, Australia in 2024.

We’d like to thank everyone who shared our appeal and have sent their best wishes to Sam and his family.

His family have released the below tribute to Sam.

Jo and Andrew (Sam’s parents) said:

“We are devastated by the loss of our beloved son Sam in a terrible accident. Sam left us far too soon, and whilst words will never fully capture the light, joy and energy he brought into our lives, we hold on to the memories that made him so special. Sam was adored by his family. As a son, brother and nephew, he was loyal, funny and fiercely protective.

“He did “Race Across The World” in 2019, which opened his eyes to the wonder of adventure and travel. He was willing to go wherever the trail might lead and he touched everyone he met on the road. He found great happiness working as a landscape gardener on the west coast of Scotland.

“Sam brought warmth, laughter and a smattering of chaos wherever he went. He leaves behind a huge hole in our hearts. We will miss him endlessly, but we’ll also remember him with smiles, tall tales, and a depth of love that will never fade”.

Sam was a landscape gardener. He had been working on an isolated estate on the west coast of Scotland and was home in Manchester for a family gathering. Sam rose to public attention when he competed with his mother Jo in Series 2 of the BBC’s “Race Across The World”.