Brodie's Story
Brodie grew up on his family’s ranch in Sidney, Montana, where ATVs played a crucial role in daily chores, from feeding animals to rounding up cattle. The ranch had multiple ATVs, including a small children's model specifically for Brodie. However, on August 17, 2013, Brodie decided to take the full-size adult ATV to feed his pigs, a choice that was out of character for him; his family had always advised against using the adult-sized vehicle at his age. When he didn’t return, his family became worried and began searching for him. Tragically, they found him pinned under the full-size ATV, unconscious. Brodie's parents quickly rushed him to the hospital, where CPR was performed. Although they managed to restore a heartbeat, Brodie remained in critical condition. He was life-flighted to a hospital in Denver, where he was ultimately pronounced brain-dead due to oxygen deprivation caused by the weight of the ATV. His family was overwhelmed with sadness and guilt over his death, prompting them to channel their grief into a mission to educate others about ATV safety, particularly for young children.
Read Brodie's Story from His Sisters Point of View:
The ATV Advocate Blog: Brodie's Story
The Author:
Brodie's Sister
Brielle Gorder
Brodie and his sister Brielle were inseparable best friends, just one year apart in age. After the tragic loss of Brodie in an ATV accident, Brielle dedicated herself to spreading ATV safety awareness to prevent similar accidents from happening. Throughout high school, she organized ATV safety contests, helmet giveaways, and safety pledge events in her community. Now a junior at the University of Montana, pursuing a degree in Marketing, Brielle has harnessed her marketing skills to create a website aimed at furthering ATV awareness. "ATV Brodie's Way" serves as a supportive community for those who have lost loved ones to ATV accidents, while also providing valuable resources for ATV safety information and training.
