While observing her 16-year-old daughter at a McKeesport softball showcase, a mother from Pennsylvania was tragically killed after being struck by huge tree branches.
In front of her husband and kids, Gendie Miller, 49, had sought refuge under a tree on a hot summer evening when a sudden, tragic collapse of many large branches claimed her life.
“Let’s go”: A moment before disaster
Gendie and her 17-year husband, Bill Miller, were sitting beneath a big tree in Renziehausen Park on Wednesday, July 23. According to the New York Post, their daughter Marlee was participating in the Western PA College Showcase softball camp, which was a significant occasion attended by college coaches.
Like many of the other parents there, they had sought solace in the shade when the temperatures reached the nineties.
Bill heard a cracking noise above at around 7:00 p.m.
“I said to my wife, ‘Let’s go.’ I jumped out of my chair, felt a small branch of some sort that grazed my leg. And I immediately turned to my right to look back at her, and she was face down with large, multiple branches and limbs,” Bill told WTAE.
A number of branches, some as thick as 10 to 12 inches, had abruptly broken off and landed squarely on Gendie, knocking her out with a blow to the head.
Emergency personnel were called, and bystanders hurried to remove the heavy limbs from her.
A devastating accident
While attempting to ascertain whether Gendie’s condition called for an evacuation to Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh, paramedics quickly came and took her to Forbes Hospital Trauma Centre in Monroeville. But Gendie’s respiration ceased before she could be transported any farther. Shortly after arriving to Forbes Hospital, she was declared deceased.
“It was devastating,” Bill said. “To be so traumatic, and with the heavy load of the type of branch and limb, it was devastating. And I can tell you that she didn’t die from her heart, because her heart’s too big.”
“She would never miss a practice or an event”
Family, friends, and the local softball community are mourning the loss of a woman remembered as deeply devoted to her daughter and family. Bill described Gendie as someone who “would never miss a practice or an event—high school, travel ball, whatever it was.”
“She would give you the shirt off her back,” he added.
Their daughter, Marlee, remains in shock. “She is being very strong,” said Bill. “And, you know, worried about that, just as I’m worried about her.”
A community responds with grief and support
To assist the family with the financial load of the tragedy, Marlee’s coach from her Nitro Fastpitch travel softball team started a GoFundMe page. At the time of writing, more than $49,000 had been donated to the fundraiser.
“While watching their daughter Marlee perform multiple drills before scrimmaging in front of college coaches, they decided to sit under a large shady tree since temperatures were in the 90s,” the description on the campaign reads. “Suddenly, the tree started to make cracking noises and a very large branch fell, striking Gendie in the head, knocking her unconscious to the ground, and entrapping her under the tree.”
“Emergency services came, rushed her in an ambulance to Forbes Hospital Trauma Center in Monroeville to evaluate whether or not they could handle the situation or life flight her to Presbyterian in Pittsburgh. Before they could get to Forbes, she stopped breathing and was pronounced dead on arrival.”
“Between medical/ambulance bills, funeral items, and initial lost wages, Bill and Marlee could use all the help they can get,” the campaign adds. “Although it doesn’t bring back their loved one, it takes a little bit of the burden off of coming up with funds they don’t have right now for something so sudden and unexpected.”
City officials and bystanders speak out
McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko issued a statement following the tragedy, per PEOPLE: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this time. An evening that started like any other, with families and friends gathered in the park for a game, has ended in tragedy after this horrible accident.”
No foul play is suspected, and local officials have not disclosed any information on what caused the branches to fall. Nonetheless, the event has led to demands for more thorough examination and upkeep of trees in public parks, particularly at times of intense heat.
There isn’t a known tree-related danger advisory in effect right now in the city.
Remembering Gendie Miller
According to many who knew her, Gendie was a kind, unselfish, and constant presence in her daughter’s life. Her untimely death has had an impact on the softball community as well as her local community.
“She was just that type of mom,” said Bill. “That was who she was.”
Our sympathies are with Gendie’s loved ones, friends, and family during this difficult time.