Friends, family and teammates are mourning the loss of athlete and student Tyler Miller, a Battle Ground High School junior who gave everything he had on the field, playing like a giant despite his smaller stature.
On Sept. 6, Miller tragically took his own life. A GoFundMe for the family’s funeral expenses can be found at gofundme.com/f/help-the-millers-with-memorial-expenses-for-tyler.
A junior at Battle Ground High School, Miller was a key player for the Battle Ground Mavericks, a NW Nations 16-U division baseball team. Every summer, he poured his energy into the team’s success, helping them reach state multiple times. Coach William Grossman, who had mentored him since he was 12, fondly remembered Miller’s unwavering positivity and dedication to the game.
“He was a kid that… when you showed up at the ballpark, you knew you were gonna get 100% of everything that [he] had to give that day or more. His teammates could always count on him. He always had a great attitude,” Grossman said. “No matter what … he may have had going on in his personal life, he always showed up with a positive attitude and always was just a pleasure to be around.”
Miller was known for his versatility on the field, playing multiple positions, including pitcher, infielder and outfielder. He also made the varsity wrestling team at Prairie High School before returning to Battle Ground High School for his junior year. Grossman remembered the energy Miller brought to the team despite some challenges with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
“As a coach, I always felt like we needed to keep him busy … but he was a good kid. He worked hard and, and on the baseball field he often set the example that you wished everybody else aspired to be,” Grossman said.
Outside of sports, Miller shared a close bond with his father, Randy Miller. Together, they worked on mechanical projects and shared a passion for fixing cars. In early September, the pair finished building a go-kart together. Randy Miller recalled that Tyler could pick up anything and master it. On one occasion, Tyler bought a unicycle on a whim and immediately became a pro. He was great at fishing and had recently taken up archery, as well.
“I mean, no matter what he touched it was just like, ‘oh man, this kid's got it. Let's see how far he would go,’” Randy Miller said. “I would dream about that like, dude, like where is this kid going? You're, you're gonna be something, dude, like you're, you're gonna be something.”
However, Tyler Miller faced significant challenges in school. Two years ago, he was falsely accused of sexual assault but was ultimately found not guilty in court, his parents claim. Following this, he endured relentless bullying at Prairie High School, which continued even after he transferred back to Battle Ground High School. Randy Miller said Tyler had to switch classes and lunch schedules multiple times due to the bullying. Tyler Miller is the second Battle Ground High School student to die by suicide in 2024. Randy believes that local schools need to do more to protect students.
“I have probably 80 parents that have been sending me messages saying we're going through the same thing. We're going through the exact same thing, and no matter how hard we, we try and how loud we yell, nothing is changing,” Randy Miller said.
Help is available for those in need of support. Battle Ground Public Schools provides a 24/7 counseling service through Care Solace, which can be accessed at caresolace.com/site/battlegroundps. Residents of southwest Washington can also contact the local crisis helpline, Carelon, at 800-626-8137, or the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988.
Grossman launched a GoFundMe page on Sept. 11 to help cover Tyler Miller’s funeral expenses. At press time, the fundraiser had raised two-thirds of its $15,000 goal, reaching over 100 donations. Grossman expressed gratitude for the generous support the page has received from community members and strangers alike.
“It speaks to the number of people in the local community that Tyler and his family have touched. I feel really positively about that for sure. We certainly hope to be able to do everything that we possibly can for his family… [We’re] really trying to just give Tyler the service that he deserves,” Grossman said.
A celebration of life for Tyler Miller will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28. Family and friends are encouraged to contact chevyman85350@gmail.com for location details.
