Larry H. Miller is a name that is practically synonymous with the state of Utah. But for those living elsewhere that name may not mean much to you…yet. To some he was known as the owner of the NBA basketball team, the Utah Jazz. To others, he was the owner of several car dealerships or the guy whose name was on the megaplex theater chain. But Larry Miller was more than just a successful businessman. He was a family man and a generous philanthropist. He supported wonderful businesses and projects, such as the Joseph Smith Papers. He simply loved Utah and wanted to make it great.
At a memorial during the first Jazz game after he died, a video clip was played from an interview he gave. He was asked how he wanted to be remembered. Brother Miller stated that he wanted to be remembered as someone who loved Utah. He gave much to the citizens of the state and left a legacy and example that people living anywhere can follow.
In his younger years, he was an accomplished athlete. He played baseball. As time went on he became a husband and a father to 5 children. He began to find success in various businesses and in later years gave generously of the money he made to help various causes. He was a man who lived life to the fullest until his health forced him to slow down — but even then he didn’t stop. Just prior to his passing, the Jazz had a game. From his hospital bed he asked his wife how the team did and was elated that they had won.
Brother Miller was a humble man and didn’t go about doing his good deeds for others to see. On the night he died, network programming was interrupted by a press conference to talk about this wonderful man. I learned more in that 45 min press conference about him than I ever did when he was alive. His was a life lived full steam ahead.
At the pregame memorial I mentioned earlier, it ended simply with a white rose lying across the courtside chair where he had always sat. A beam of light was cast over the solitary rose. Somehow it seemed fitting to honor a life lived so fully and yet humbly in this simple way. It makes me think about the kind of legacy I want to leave behind.
To learn more about Larry H. Miller, see the new book “Driven: An Autobiography.”
We can all try to follow his many great examples…selflessness!