Harrison Miley

Harrison Barlow Miley came to us on a Sunday afternoon and left us on a Friday morning, with twenty-two years of incredible fun and adventures in between.  He was smart and loyal and goofy and loved.

His lifelong love of God and church was evident in his early prayer experiences in Hamilton, AL.  It was there that, as a three-year-old, he once yelled out, “Bye-bye, God!” when the deacon of the week was taking a little too long to bless the tables of food laid out before him at a church Eatin’ Meetin’.

He loved Mario and Link and Junior Asparagus, Marvel movies and DC TV shows.  He took his video games seriously, researching all manner of tips and tricks to get to the next level or to avoid bomb boxes or MEGAMEN2 scworms.  Based on his sound levels and energetic outbursts, it was like each win or defeat was for the first time.

He never passed up a chance to sing karaoke. He wasn’t particularly good at it, but that sure didn’t keep him from belting out those songs.

He loved laughing and making others laugh.  This could be subtle smart humor, or silly cat meme humor.  Most of the time, it was the silly kind.  He did not mind being the only person in the movie theater to laugh at some obscure reference or Tony Stark snark.

He loved Grandpa Charlie’s fudge, Grandee’s gumbo, and Grandma Sinnie’s fried potatoes.  Harrison loved any chance to eat, especially if he was able to do it with a group of friends. From Sonic chili dogs or coffee at M7 Coffee House to a beignet in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower or baklava and Greek coffee atop Santorini overlooking the remains of a volcano that he had just climbed, he loved it all.

He loved his people and made heart connections to them everywhere he went.  He never wrote anyone off.  From Star to Hamilton to Shawnee to Kansas City to Brandon to Kohl’s to Make-A-Wish trips, his ever-present electronic rectangles kept him connected and accessible. He collected trinkets of connection everywhere he went, and each one had a story.

One of his life philosophies was “Never waste a chance to wear a costume in public.”  He took this very seriously, fully immersing himself into a character.  From his first costume as a Pumpkin Hulk, to his last one as Mario Kart at ComicCon this past summer, Harrison made others smile and laugh and include him in their selfies.  His three-year-old rendition of a bossy and grumpy Bob the Tomato is still the stuff of family legend.

It is absolutely no exaggeration to say that many people who knew Harrison personally would say that he is hand’s down one of the best people that they will ever know.  He was good.  He was encouraging and looked for ways to include those who were watching from the fringes and included the uncertain and lonely.

He loved his Jesus, and never ever stopped believing that God could heal him in an instant, and that God would receive even more glory from a dramatic, last minute healing.  But he also had faith that did not see God as mean or unloving because his story took a different path.  Harrison was fully prepared and ready to meet God and rejoin some of his favorite people in a place with no crutches or pain meds or breathing machines.  He did not know the specifics of what Heaven might be like, but he believed in it fully and knew that he would be made new--walking and leaping and praising God, just like the Bible story song he listened to over and over on a yellow cassette tape during car rides, which was his favorite tape until Veggie Tales came along.  Veggie Tales used brilliant marketing strategies tailor-made for a kid like Harrison.  Well played, Phil Vischer, well played.  However, we do know that those last moments between here and Heaven involved someone no longer weak and tired, but strong and ready.  With his last earthly breath, he was laughing and yelling, “WooHoo!” And like Tristan in Legends of the Fall, it was a good death.

And it was definitely not “Game Over,” like in so many of the video games that Harrison so loved.

Harrison’s story is not over.  So many more chapters have yet to be written.  Those who will be contributing to that story include his grandparents--Charlie and Sinnie Harrison, and Dee and Ralph Miley; his parents, Darren and Charla Miley; his brothers, Travis and John; his many aunts and uncles and cousins; so many other family members that always bring the good food to reunions and holiday parties; Ethan, his longest heart-friend that bonded with him over long-distance MythBusters “viewings” together; his amazing circle of friends that chose to stay and include him and support him through it all; and the masses of people who observed from the edges and were uplifted and inspired.

An outdoor funeral/celebration honoring Harrison will be held on Monday, October 8, 2018 at Pinelake Church (6071 HWY 25N, Brandon, MS).  It will begin at 6:00 pm and be followed by a showing of Jonah: A Veggie Tales Movie--the sing-a-long version, of course.  Bring your chairs and blankets and picnic baskets, and come ready to celebrate all things Harrison.

Casual attire--costumes are optional, but are absolutely encouraged.