Daniel Durant has become one of the fan-favorites of Dancing With the Stars season 31. Daniel is paired with DWTS pro Britt Stewart. Every week, Daniel’s interpreter, Gabriel Gomez, is in the ballroom helping Daniel communicate with the judges, his partner, and more.
So, who is Gabe? He’s a key member of Team Sign to Shine. From his background with the deaf community to working with Daniel, HollywoodLife has 5 things you need to know about Gabe.
1. Gabe is Daniel’s interpreter and best friend.
Gabe is Daniel’s American Sign Language interpreter. “He’s a great guy, and he’s part of our team. He makes sure that we have smooth communication and anyone can communicate with me, and sometimes a cameraman puts Gabe in there so he can see Gabe’s perspective in our dance. He’s a wonderful support,” Daniel told reporters, including HollywoodLife, after Bond Night. “He’s a wonderful interpreter, and he’s also my best friend.”
2. Gabe is a CODA.
Gabe is the child of a deaf adult. The interpreter was born to “an almost entirely deaf family,” according to his IMDb profile. He does have a younger sister who can hear.
3. Gabe worked on Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.
Gabriel worked as an ASL interpreter in the episode “Silenced” of Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. He was also an ASL interpreter at the Oscars, the Screen Actors Guild Awards, and the Film Independent Spirit Awards.
4. Gabe has been interpreting in the Los Angeles area for nearly a decade.
Gabe has been an ASL interpreter for over 7 years. In addition to working with Daniel and in television, Daniel has worked as an interpreter at USC, UCLA, Cal State Long Beach, and more colleges and universities.
5. Gabe played soccer in college.
Gabe was a member of the NCAA Division 2 National Championship soccer team in 2008 at California State University Dominguez Hills. He still stays active by playing soccer and coaches younger soccer players.