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February 5th, 2007

By now you've all heard the news about local New Hampshire Surfer Danny Miller. Danny who turned 21 last Thursday was lost at Sea on Thursday, February 1st. He and boat Captain Sean Cone age 24, were lost some 17 miles out off the coast of Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The 52 foot vessel "Lady Luck" was last heard from early Thursday morning around 2:00AM. The Coast Guard found a debris field and the Lady Luck's emergency beacon but no sign of either Danny or Sean. A fisherman by trade, and a true hardcore Surfer, Danny was also a father. He leaves behind his 4 month old son Landon. He also leaves his parents Glenn and Samantha, his brothers Sean and Garrett and a huge gathering of friends.

It's hard to put into words, the feelings that his family and friends are feeling now. The loss of such a young life is not an easy situation to deal with. Clearly, his family and his friends are missing Danny, but, they are also seeing and feeling the love and support that is just pouring in from everywhere. Danny apparently has touched many lives in his 21 years. I know some of his friends like Shane, Corey and a dozen more or so. And I was impressed with their conviction of love and true friendship, to do something for him, and his young son.

I know there are many of you who read this column who knew Danny well. I know of his time spent in the shop with Dave, Phil, Kevin and the rest of the Cinnamon Rainbows crew. I know of his surfing buddies. I know of his High School buds. I can see the love and support from all of you. I would suggest to you all, that you make a point of never ever forgetting him, and talking about him. If you do not remember, and you do not speak of him, then, he will, be truly lost. I'm not trying to get preachy here. I'm just trying to convey to you all, what I have done, when I have lost friends and loved ones. Lord knows, I've lost a few.

Talk about them. Bring them up in conversation. Share the laughter and the tears. There's no shame in any of it. Let your true feelings out. Reach out to his family. Help each other out. And if at all possible, when little Landon gets older, tell him about his dad. And when the time is right, Introduce him to surfing. You know dam well, that Danny was going to teach him how to surf one day.

One of you, or a handful of you, should step up and take that role on. Introduce Landon to the Surf. Make a promise with each other that you'll do that in the future.

Because somewhere, Danny will be smiling down on you when Landon catches his first wave.

I did not know Danny as well as many of you did. But what I did know of him, was that he was a good kid. He was always good to my son Max, and I won't ever forget that. He and his friends always showed me respect, and he was always smiling when I saw him at the beach. He and his friends, are a good bunch of kids and I tried to capture them on video, whenever I could. Luckily, my last movie North By Northeast has about 4 or 5 of Danny's waves at the Rocks. Some of which I captured (see below) in video frame grabs. The image above was taken this last July at the Wall when the Quiksilver boys were in town. He was up at 10th street hanging out talking with Joe Carter. Maybe, they were talking surf. Maybe they were talking about the fact, that they would soon both be new dads. I don't know. But whatever they were talking about, they were smiling. So that's the Danny I knew.

A local surfer who was always smiling and having fun in and around the ocean.

There's a Service Tonight for Danny-"A Celebration of Life" Monday, February 5th, 2007 from 4PM-8PM at the Galley Hatch Conference Center at the Inn of Hampton, 815 Lafayette Road Hampton. Everyone is invited. There's also a Donation Fund that has been established for his young son.

Donations can be made to The Landon Miller Fund through ANY Citizen Bank. Or send your donation to:

The Landon Miller Foundation
83 South Road
North Hampton, NH 03862

Remember my friends...Surfing heals all wounds....
Pray for Surf. Pray for Peace. Surf For Fun.

Ralph

Yesterday 2004 ....Danny Miller Surfing in New Hampshire. RIP

Photo By Ryan Olson

Today 2007 A Photo Tribute to Danny Miller

(Above) Danny Miller and Joe Carter at the WALL from the movie North By Northeast.
Video Frame Grab by Ralph Fatello SFOD

(Above) Danny Miller and Joe Carter at 10th Street from the movie North By Northeast.
Video Frame Grab by Ralph Fatello SFOD

(Above) Danny Miller and Joe Carter sharing a laugh at 10th Street from the movie North By Northeast.
Video Frame Grab by Ralph Fatello SFOD

(Above) Danny Miller hard off the bottom at his favorite Left. From the movie North By Northeast.
Video Frame Grab by Ralph Fatello SFOD

(Above) Danny Miller throwing some spray at the Rocks. From the movie North By Northeast.
Video Frame Grab by Ralph Fatello SFOD

(Above) Danny Miller going back for more juice at the Rocks. From the movie North By Northeast.
Video Frame Grab by Ralph Fatello SFOD

(Above) Danny had a nice bottom turn. Like any good surfer he used it to set up his next turn.
From the movie North By Northeast. Video Frame Grab by Ralph Fatello SFOD

(Above) His next turn was his trademark tail slide along the coping turn. Danny Miller could surf.
From the movie North By Northeast. Video Frame Grab by Ralph Fatello SFOD

(Above) Danny same day but a different wave. Again setting up. From the movie North By Northeast.
Video Frame Grab by Ralph Fatello SFOD

(Above) Almost a carbon copy of his last 100 turns. Danny Miller redirecting at the Rocks.
From the movie North By Northeast. Video Frame Grab by Ralph Fatello SFOD

(Above) Can you feel the torque? Danny Miller, the Rocks. From the movie North By Northeast.
Video Frame Grab by Ralph Fatello SFOD

(Above) Danny caught a bunch of waves that day. Eventually he took his hood off to get looser.
From the movie North By Northeast. Video Frame Grab by Ralph Fatello SFOD

(Above) Look familiar? Danny Miller throwing more spray at the Rocks. From the movie North By Northeast.
Video Frame Grab by Ralph Fatello SFOD

(Above) Danny Miller Rocking at the Rocks. From the movie North By Northeast.
Video Frame Grab by Ralph Fatello SFOD

(Above) Danny Miller paddling back out at the Rocks as he hoots my son Mackey V. I could hear him hooting
from the beach as I shot this. I mentioned earlier that Danny was good to my kid. He was. Max liked him and
looked up to him like he does to a lot of surfers his age. I do hope that Danny got to see this movie.
From the movie North By Northeast. Video Frame Grab by Ralph Fatello SFOD

Parting Shot NH Photog John Carden's "Wave for Danny"
New Hampshire Surfer/Photographer John Carden sends his condolences to all of Danny's family and his friends
and sent this photo as a tribute to Danny.
Photo by John Carden

Maybe Danny Miller is somewhere in a place like this. A Surfer's Heaven. No one knows for certain what's on the
other side of this world. Maybe it is like this. Maybe we will all meet again in a place of warm water and empty waves.
And live forever in peace and solitude. Rest In Peace Danny Miller and God Bless his family and friends.

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