OurWhy
We are the proud family of our son Tristan Nathanial Miller. Tristan was 17, a junior in high school, who excelled in both academics and athletics. He was an avid music lover and musician, His music favorites and influences are too many to mention but we can assure you he would not lose a music trivia challenge. Tristan lost his battle with depression and anxiety on November 12, 2017. As we continue through our painful grief journey, we are committed as a family to help as many as possible to find themselves and know they are enough. We do this in memory of Tristan. We will continue to honor him, carry his name and his legacy for his love of music. #Playfor21®
Our history
The Tristan Miller Foundation was founded in 2017 by Tristan Nathanial Miller’s family. This foundation was created, first and foremost, to carry Tristan’s name and legacy for his love of music. We want to inspire others, all ages, to learn, listen and love music as Tristan did. As an avid musician, Tristan would want everyone to have an opportunity to integrate music in their every day. We plan to continue to provide and support various paths to accomplish this by way of music events, scholarships, and supporting music, drama, and arts programs for our area school systems.
Tristan was also an athlete. Excelling at most sports that he tried, basketball was his sport. We will also support athletic departments and programs to enhance every child’s athletic experience. In addition, we are very passionate about raising awareness for Emotional Wellness, Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. Kindness is something that should not be taking for granted. We witnessed, but more importantly, heard repeatedly from many that what they will remember about Tristan is his kind demeanor and that he was always consistently nice to everyone. Please be kind to others.
Play For 21 ® is our registered trademark brand that represents everything we do. Tristan's basketball number was 21 and Play For 21 encouraged his teammates to continue playing in his memory. We hope you will visit our online shop to purchase Play For 21 Merchandise. 100% of proceeds benefit the foundation and other Mental Health and Suicide Prevention efforts.
Our mission
Our Mission: For Everyone to know it is okay to not be okay. We have a personal mission to elevate this topic to the forefront. Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the US and even more alarming, the second leading cause of death for 10-24 year-olds with males accounting for upwards of 70% of the deaths across all ages. Our healthy minds are just as important as our healthy bodies. We need this to be a priority.
Gone are the days where you “man up”. Today we begin to have courage and strength in saying it out loud. "It is okay to not be okay".
Lastly, we are hopeful that we can influence others to find hope and know they are not alone. They matter. It is okay to not be okay. You are not alone.