The Rotunda

Issue date: 2/25/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Tim Holmes Students, faculty, staff and alumni gathered to dedicate a memorial to former men's rugby player Todd Miller at the First Ave. field Saturday

Almost a year after Todd Miller's death from a rugby-related injury, students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends, as well as several cadets from Virginia Military Institute (VMI), gathered on the First Avenue field in Farmville to dedicate a memorial to Miller on Friday, Feb. 20. During a match against VMI on March 1, 2008, Miller was injured, and after collapsing on the sidelines, was transported to MCV hospital in Richmond, Va. Miller spent several days in a coma and on life support as doctors tried to reduce swelling in his brain and stabilize his condition, but he was taken off life support on March 7 and died two days later.

During Friday's memorial dedication, Dr. Melanie Marks, professor of economics, and Ellie Miller, Todd Miller's mother, spoke about the outpouring of support and unity that came after his accident and death. Marks said, "I've always felt that we really are a Longwood family and while Todd was fighting his life … we spent a lot of time crying and a lot of time praying, and I was incredibly moved by the gestures of the students. … It moved me more than I think I've been moved in the 16 years that I've been at the university."

Ellie Miller spoke about the vigil that took place last year shortly after Todd Miller's accident, which was attended by more than 1,200 people. "You have no idea how much comfort that event brought to me. … I appreciate more than you'll ever know the effort that it took to put that on," said Ellie Miller.

Marks, who knew Todd Miller both as a student and as a friend, helped coordinate the event. After Ellie Miller invited her to speak at Todd Miller's memorial service last March, Marks said, "It was really clear from that ceremony that I knew him in a lot of different dimensions. He wasn't just my student, he was my friend. … We really had a connection."

Marks opened the dedication by talking about her memories of Todd, remembering him as "a force to be reckoned with on the rugby field," "an excellent student and citizen leader," and a "son who sang love ballads to his mother."

Continued...

Page 1 of 3 next >

Article Tools