There might not be any better example in existence of the 'apple doesn't fall far from the tree,' than is the case with Heath Miller and his parents.
Denise and Earl Miller personify everything their son is: hardworking, humble, dedicated, considerate, and respectful. The list could go on and on without hesitation, because Heath Miller is that kind of guy. And he gets it all from his parents.
"My mentors growing up as a kid were my parents," said Miller. "As I get older I look back at my childhood and realize that more and more. Often times it was never a sit down and tell me what to do lesson. It was, and I didn't know it at the time, I was learning through their actions. I was watching how they did things, how they reacted to situations, how they approached life. Through it all I was learning quite a bit."
Miller, who has four children with his wife Katie, is able to carry over the many lessons he learned from his parents into his role as a father, husband, teammate and man.
"I can fall back on everything they taught me growing up," said Miller. "I feel fortunate that I had that within my household and I was able to learn and have their unconditional love as a child growing up and their support. They helped me get to where I am today."
Miller is one of several Steelers who recently shared the story of who his mentor is with the Mentoring Partnership of Southwestern Pennsylvania (MPSWPA) in celebration of January being National Mentoring Month.
"We are in our fifth year of partnering with the Pittsburgh Steelers to talk with players about their mentors," said Kristan Allen, director of marketing and communications for MPSWPA. "This partnership is a natural fit for The Mentoring Partnership because the Steelers have been such great champions of mentoring, both within the community and within their own organization.
"Mentoring helps to build stronger kids and stronger communities. The Mentoring Partnership has been leading the charge to advance mentoring in our region. Working with the Steelers helps raise awareness of the benefits of mentoring and the need for more mentors."
