Support Miller Family After DC Plane Crash

My name is Audra Rogers, close family friend to the Miller family. This GoFundMe was created on behalf of the Miller family to assist with the unexpected and urgent travel, memorial and estate handling expenses incurred after losing their beloved brother and son Dustin Miller in the plane crash in Washington, DC.

Details:

Dustin Miller, 43, IT professional and dedicated Chiefs fan from El Dorado, KS was on American Airlines flight 5342 from Wichita to Washington, DC on the way to Rochester, New York on a work trip.

As his mother was dropping him off at Dwight D. Eisenhower Airport in Wichita, he said he wanted to be sure to make it back home in time watch the Chiefs play in the Superbowl. He even purchased a plane ticket for his brother Jon to fly in to Kansas from Arizona so they could all watch the game at home with their mom and dad.

Shortly before the plane departed from Wichita, Dustin texted his boss and spoke with a friend, describing the celebratory mood among the crew and fellow passengers since it was the last flight of the day. He also mentioned how cool it was that US and Russian figure skaters were on board.

Dustin was tragically killed when a US Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with the plane shortly before landing. Dustin's parents, siblings and extended family members continuously watched search and rescue operations on the news and clung to the hope he would soon call them to say he was okay, but eventually learned there were no survivors from the crash.

Dustin was a kind and generous man that did a lot for others in acts of service. He loved camping, fishing, smoking meats and spending time with family.

He was looking forward to rooting on the Kansas City Chiefs in the Superbowl. Now his extended family plans to gather along with friends, classmates, coworkers and members of the community to celebrate his life, and ask for all that wish to honor Dustin to help cheer on the Chiefs in his honor.

Unexpected immediate costs including airfare, fuel, lodging, lost wages and food are required for his many loved ones to join together in El Dorado, KS to surround the Miller family with love and stories about Dustin that mean so much to hear in the grieving process.

Please consider helping the Miller family with the short term costs in handling Dustin's affairs and the travel expenses of loved ones so they may lean on each other in this difficult time as they try to find solace and begin healing from this heart-wrenching tragedy.

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Dustin's sister Kristen Miller-Zahn released the following statement on behalf of the Miller family:

"I speak for my family when I say Dustin was the funniest guy in the room, he was also the most generous and loving. He had a way of making people feel at home in his presence.

He wasn’t just a brother or a son, he was also each of our best friend. We all had a unique and special bond with him. He would do anything for the people he loved, and for people he didn’t even know so well.

My brother loved to travel, camp, fish, and man could he smoke meats. He enjoyed BBQing for others and enjoyed spending time with people, he would want everyone that knew him to keep it light.

He would be so moved by the outpouring of love and support from people right now, helping us all navigate this tragedy.

He was a HUGE chiefs fan so he would want us to watch the Super Bowl game and root for the Chiefs. He was looking forward to that game! He loved us, he would want us all to love each other and focus on what’s important, Family. My heart goes out to every family member of this tragedy, it does hurt so bad."

Kristen Miller-Zahn

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Dustin's boss shared the following thoughts:

Dustin was a friend and great person who happened to be an excellent IT guy. He could figure out pretty much anything and I could always count on him to "just take care of it".

He was a great mentor to his coworkers who counted on him to teach them complicated systems and help them with a tough problem. He was great at scripting and took great pride in automating repetitive tasks. He was very funny and brought that humor to work, which made him a pleasure to be around.

He introduced me to Sous Vide cooking. We then had several company BBQs which was like eating at a gourmet restaurant with Chef Dustin in charge. He loved spicy hot sauces, and had a pepper garden with which he made and shared his homemade gourmet hot sauces. I am certain he could have won the hot wing eating contest we had at work had he wanted to - after all - it was his hot sauces we were using! I shall miss him terribly.

Jack Herklotz