It is with the deepest regret that we must announce the death of Miles Robert Vaughan. His life of 30 years ended on January 27, 2011. In those 30 years, he had influenced the lives of many people as a friend, a soldier, a wrestler, a surfer, a musician, a brother and a son. Miles was born on June 19, 1980 in Riverton, Wyoming. His family first moved to Crescent City, California in 1984 where Miles began his love affair with the ocean. In 1990 his family relocated to Roseburg, Oregon and Miles began a love and hate relationship with school wrestling. At various weight classes he was the Douglas County Champion for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. Miles wrestled Varsity at Roseburg High School while he attended Fremont Middle School. In 1995, his family moved back to Wyoming where he attended Hot Springs County High School in Thermopolis. Here he excelled at wrestling, baseball and making friends. In 1998 the family moved back to Crescent City where Miles graduated from Del Norte High. During the move back to Crescent City, Miles’ love of the ocean turned into a lifelong passion with surfing and its lifestyle.
Miles joined the Navy in 2001 and spent 4 years as a Corpsman with the 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion at Twenty Nine Palms, California. He was “Doc” to his Marine Corp platoon. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Miles received a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for valor and a Navy Commendation. Besides medals, Miles came home with a broken neck and foot as well as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He was later classified as disabled because of PTSD. He sought and received help from the VA hospital in Roseburg, Oregon. During this time he also became infatuated with music. With the help of another vet, Chase Melendez, Miles learned to play guitar and gained confidence with his vocals. The group ChasingMiles played in the Roseburg, Oregon area. In Crescent City he teamed up with local artists including Warren Barr playing Oregon and California venues as Just Add Water. Covers of songs like Wicked Games and Hero of War can be found on YouTube. On the outside Miles seemed to be doing well, but in September of 2010 he contacted the VA for additional counseling. Unfortunately, he did not follow through with counseling and his demons took him from us. Miles, we cherish the times we spent together. We forgive you for our pain. Miles is survived by his mother Carlie; father Mike and his wife Deb; brother Chris and his wife Cyndi; nephews Will and Devin and sweetheart Macy.
http://youtu.be/N6H3t_hSNaM
#OurHeroes#22TooMany#NeverForgotten
