Prominent adventurer Andrew Cross, widely known as ‘Desert Drifter’ to his 500,000 YouTube followers, has tragically passed away at the age of 36. His death followed the decision to remove him from life support after sustaining a severe brain injury in a two-car accident in Colorado on January 31. Cross had been in a coma for a month prior to his passing.
In a heartfelt announcement on the CaringBridge website, Andrew’s sister, Jenna Spooner, confirmed his peaceful passing on Tuesday. She shared that, in the moments before life support was removed, Andrew’s loved ones took him on a final walk around the ICU, where hospital staff lined the hallways to honor him. Family and friends read scripture, prayed, and sang during the process and for over an hour afterward.
Earlier this week, the family disclosed that they had made the difficult decision to take Andrew off life support after recognizing his discomfort. The decision came after he had shown signs of distress, including grimacing during routine procedures.
Andrew, a Virginia native based in Colorado, was renowned for his vlogging, which he described as ‘exploration and adventure with a historical twist.’ He documented desert tours and mountain climbs, captivating hundreds of thousands of viewers.
On January 31, while stopped in his vehicle, Andrew was rear-ended at high speed in a severe collision. The Mesa County Coroner’s Office confirmed his death from the injuries sustained in the crash. His sister reflected on the outpouring of love and support from fans and shared that his life and impact would continue to resonate, even after his passing.
Prior to his death, the family had set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for medical expenses, which successfully raised over $482,000. Andrew was married to his wife, a speech-language pathologist, for more than three years. In a February 2 YouTube video, she expressed gratitude to their supporters, acknowledging the immense support they had received from fans.
At the end of February, Jenna Spooner, Andrew Cross’s sister, provided an update, stating, “We’ve been extensively reviewing medical studies and other information, getting second (and third and fourth) opinions, consulting with Andrew’s doctors, and doing all we can to consider every possibility.” She further explained that the prognosis for Andrew’s recovery was grim, with medical statistics indicating a low likelihood of significant recovery or even regaining consciousness. “The more information we get, the bleaker the picture,” she added.
On Wednesday, the Mesa County Coroner’s Office confirmed to TMZ that Andrew Cross passed away from injuries sustained in a severe two-car collision on January 31. While waiting at a stoplight, Cross was rear-ended at high speed. The other driver, Ragnar Nickolas Kristl, has been charged with vehicular homicide, reckless driving, careless driving, and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Andrew, a former Wildland Trekking guide, was on his way home from filming at Bears Ears when the accident occurred. He was rushed to the hospital, where emergency brain surgery was performed to control the bleeding on his brain.
The popular content creator, who had 676,000 followers across his social media platforms, referred to his fans as his Desert Drifter community.#newsafro_
