A local mother is just out with a book -- one she wishes she'd never had to write. "Heaven Sent, the Heather Miller story" tells how her daughter's fight against cancer transformed her family and touched the lives of those around her.
The community, especially folks in Bedford County rallied around Heather Miller after she was diagnosed with cancer when she was ten. Even the Pittsburgh Steelers were inspired by her attitude. It was a heart-breaker when she lost her struggle nearly three years ago.
A few months after her diagnosis, Heather officially opened practice for her team. The "Make a Wish" day with the Steelers was one of the happiest of her life.
She became friends with Troy Polamalu, who shares the cover on the book about Heather's life. Her mother Wendy felt she had to write "Heaven Sent" to give back to those who supported Heather and her family and to share the purpose of her daughter's life.
"The purpose of Heather's life to me is it's plain as day to me," she says, "it was to draw people closer to God. Heather's mantra was fully rely on God."
When kids at Heather's school gave her a frog to symbolize fully rely on God, it became her trademark. It's the stained glass panel in the window near where she died. The tree she decorated with frog orgnaments and lights is glowing in the family's living room.
Wendy says, "I'll never take it down because it's a reminder of her faith and she was very faithful from the beginning of her journey until the end."
Wendy believes Heather's life teaches us to keep the faith, not to worry about the little stuff, and not to be afraid of the big stuff.
"What happened with Heather, it was God's plan," she says, "and obviously I've learned a lot and I'm not really in control of anything."
And for the Miller family and anyone who's lost a loved one, the message is if you can get through this you can get through anything.
"I would do anything to have her still here telling you 'yahoo I made it' and so I'm here to say she made it and she's okay and that's a peace for me."
Scott Brown, a sports-writer with the Pittsburgh Tribune Review co-wrote the book with Wendy. You can get a copy of it on the Milson Publishing Company web site.
The community, especially folks in Bedford County rallied around Heather Miller after she was diagnosed with cancer when she was ten. Even the Pittsburgh Steelers were inspired by her attitude. It was a heart-breaker when she lost her struggle nearly three years ago.
A few months after her diagnosis, Heather officially opened practice for her team. The "Make a Wish" day with the Steelers was one of the happiest of her life.
She became friends with Troy Polamalu, who shares the cover on the book about Heather's life. Her mother Wendy felt she had to write "Heaven Sent" to give back to those who supported Heather and her family and to share the purpose of her daughter's life.
"The purpose of Heather's life to me is it's plain as day to me," she says, "it was to draw people closer to God. Heather's mantra was fully rely on God."
When kids at Heather's school gave her a frog to symbolize fully rely on God, it became her trademark. It's the stained glass panel in the window near where she died. The tree she decorated with frog orgnaments and lights is glowing in the family's living room.
Wendy says, "I'll never take it down because it's a reminder of her faith and she was very faithful from the beginning of her journey until the end."
Wendy believes Heather's life teaches us to keep the faith, not to worry about the little stuff, and not to be afraid of the big stuff.
"What happened with Heather, it was God's plan," she says, "and obviously I've learned a lot and I'm not really in control of anything."
And for the Miller family and anyone who's lost a loved one, the message is if you can get through this you can get through anything.
"I would do anything to have her still here telling you 'yahoo I made it' and so I'm here to say she made it and she's okay and that's a peace for me."
Scott Brown, a sports-writer with the Pittsburgh Tribune Review co-wrote the book with Wendy. You can get a copy of it on the Milson Publishing Company web site.
