The Miller Family: Remembering a York County Hero
Chief Rodney Miller lost his life at the scene of a crash when he was hit and killed by a repeat DUI offender in April 2013. As a volunteer firefighter with Loganville Volunteer Fire Company for 29 years, Rodney was truly committed to leading by example.
His family – parents Paul and Elaine and widow Michelle – used memorial gifts they received after Rodney’s death to start the Chief Rodney P. Miller Memorial Fund at YCCF. The Millers chose to use the donor-advised fund to support other emergency services providers in York County in Rodney’s memory.
“Rodney was a leader, but not because he wanted attention for himself,” says his father, Paul. “He enjoyed serving his community and mentoring those who also wanted to help by becoming an emergency responder.”
The fund has awarded grants to the Old Fire Farts of York County, PA for scholarships to support the continued education of emergency services professionals and volunteers. The fund continues to grow through community fundraisers and gifts from people to honor Rodney’s memory. As the fund grows, even more grants will be made to help train York County’s first responders.
“It’s heartwarming to see gifts to the fund and know that the community remembers Rodney and the sacrifice he made,” Michelle, Rodney’s widow, shares. “Safety was important to Rodney and supporting the training of those professionals and volunteers following in his footsteps is a meaningful way to carry out his legacy.”
The Millers are also using this tragedy to help others. Joining with other families who lost loved ones to repeat DUI offenders, the Millers worked with state legislators for three years to pass a law that makes a third DUI a felony offense in Pennsylvania. The law went into effect in December 2018, and the Millers hope this makes people think even harder about getting behind the wheel when impaired.
“We’re also heavily involved with the Kain Memorial, a monument that honors the lives of 86 innocent victims of alcohol and drug-related crashes on York County roadways,” shared Rodney’s mother, Elaine.
“This is a path we didn’t choose to take, but if we can prevent another family from losing an innocent person to a driver under the influence, we have made the best of our situation in life.”
