Might check your other side to make sure it's alright too.

I swapped the handles on both sides, and also cleaned up all the pieces with WD40 and a rag, so there shouldn't be any binding issues now. Although it seems that the new handles are sticking a bit and won't go all the way back down on their own, but I figure that will go away after a while. And it's not much of a concern to me at this point, at least the handle is working again haha.

Most common failure. Mazda has had to make improvements.

Yeah I'm actually surprised mine lasted so long. I got aluminum handles from JKL Racing.

http://shop.jklre.com/products/fd-al-handles

I'm not sure what to say about the other metal piece bending, I can't really control that I guess haha.

if anyone needs a replacement door handle, i got one off curtis james for cheap compared to stealership prices of 250+. im not sure how the guy would like his cell # posted on a forum, so just PM and ill share it :)