Three time hero and trucker laid to rest! He was a good friend of mine.

I'm certain many of you have seen the news, over the Christmas holidays, of the Kentucky trucker who was shot and killed near Dallas.

http://www.kentucky.com/181/story/636053.html

This is what you didn't see, in those short news reports. I was simply not up to writing this before this evening. And this is the first time I ever even tried to do anything like this, as well.

A Tribute to "Scotty" - Hero in his life; Hero in his death.

Three times a hero, and we would say, much too soon, "Scotty" was laid to rest yesterday, at the young age of 42.

I had known William Scott "Scotty" Miller for more than 23 years, since shortly after he graduated from High School. I have known his Mother, and his two sisters, Carla and Donna, almost as long, lacking only a few weeks or months. And I knew his step-father since I was a child, prior to his death, from cancer, a few years ago. Scott became a good friend, after he and a couple of his friends and schoolmates started working alongside my own late brother, Bill, back then.

Bill became their supervisor at a place that made cabinet doors, of all sizes and shapes, along with several kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Bill and I were both farmers, farming on places that adjoined, as well, during that time, raising cattle, tobacco, and hay. We would use anywhere from two to five or six part-time workers in hay, when we put it up in square bales, and in the course of handling the tobacco crop, as well. And occasionally, we would use some help with working cattle. In addition, all of us, including Bill and me, as a 'group' helped some other area farmers, at various times in hay and tobacco, as well, some most every year.

Good workers as well, these fellows were happy to make some additional money, and we stood in need of help, as well. He was always happy, and always had a slightly mischievous expression about him, and was always pleasant to be around. So it became a win/win situation, for all of us. Scotty, however, was a bit more limited in free-time, than the others, for one week end each month, for he had joined the National Guard, as well, upon graduation. He wore the uniform with pride. And there, he was trained for what would later make him three times a mostly unsung hero, and eventually lead to his early death, that of driving a tractor trailer. While he was still too young to drive commercially, he was not too young to drive in the National Guard or the Army.

The first time he was an unsung hero was in hauling relief supplies and food and water during natural disasters in KY and surrounding states, like floods and hurricanes, with his National Guard Transportation unit, out of Richmond, KY. He also took part in one detail that hauled hay to KY farmers from another southern state.

The second time was when his unit was called up to active duty during the First Gulf War. In the deserts of Iraq, Scott ate dust and MREs, and slept in tents, in 100+ degree days and cold desert nights, without any complaint, while driving supplies for the troops and I believe some fuel trucks as well, while serving there, and received a commendation, if my memory serves, for his active service.

The third time was only a week ago. As Scott was preparing to park his truck and fly home for Christmas with his wife and two children, he was fatally shot when driving on I-635 in Garland, TX, and even when mortally wounded, still managed to bring his rig to a stop without causing any further injuries to any others. Literally, he died as a hero.

We did not work together much after the Gulf War days, and had not worked together in over 15 years, as the shop where Bill and Scott had worked closed shortly, and Scott moved to Frankfort, after finding another job there. Yet I would hear about him from time to time from other friends here, and his mother and sister who both lived only a little more than a mile from me. I knew when he got married. I knew when they had a baby, etc.

"Now, just as with Bill, who was almost 4 1/2 years younger than I am, and who died 5 years ago, also much too early, at 50, I'll miss you, tonight, even though we did not see each other all that often, lately.

Good night, hero, and my friend, Rest in Peace, and I'll see you and Bill in the morning!"

Ed

P.S. I want to add a couple of more things. While I never had the most detailed discussions with Scott, about his salvation, I believe he was saved, from what we did say. I do recall one particular time, when I was in a discussion with another one of us, as we were working, and I was briefly discussing the Triune God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and, the blood and salvation by faith. Scott chimed in on almost every sentence I made with either "That's right!" or "That's exactly what I believe." I also know that he had been reared in another local Baptist church, as well, and attended at least some, and I actually think fairly regularly, when he lived here. How much exactly, I don't recall, for it has been over 15 years, and my memory is not what it was then, either.

Remember his family in prayer, please.

I mentioned that I was not able to write this before now. Bill's birthday was Nov. 27. He was born on Thanksgiving and would have been 56 last month on Thanksgiving. He died of the side effects of cancer treatment for a second type of cancer, while actually being in remission, for both types. Scott's sister Donna, is actually undergoing treatment in another state, for a second type of cancer, herself, after surviving one type, and was not even able to be here for her only brother's funeral. I am a current survivor of cancer, as well, and I also drive professionally, as well, at times. I well know that I could be exposed to the same sort of insanity, as a cab driver. In addition, I had talked at length with another friend about drive-by shootings less than two weeks before Scott was shot. So this hit close to home in more than one way, for me.

Scott would have had his 43rd birthday on Jan 2, 2009. I admit to being a bit :tear:, for now.

 

Let me take this opportunity to thank those that have responded to this thread, as well as any who have not responded, but have remembered the family of Scott Miller in prayer. Please continue to remember this family in prayer, for certainly, they stand in need of prayer. And truly, as James wrote, "Your life ... is only a vapor, here for a short time and then it vanishes away...."

I can barely begin to repeat how out of character the writing of any tribute is, for me. And off the top of my head, I could easily think of 30 worthy of such individuals who had a large impact in my own Christian and family life, even far greater than has Scott.

Again, I thank you all on behalf of His family, and in his memory.

Ed