This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Bronzell Miller — football player, actor, songwriter and father — died Saturday morning at his ex-wife's house in West Jordan. He was 42.
Originally from Seattle, Miller played defensive end for the Utes from 1993-94. In 1994 he had 12 sacks and five forced fumbles as Utah finished the season 10-2 and ranked No. 8 in the Coaches Poll.
Miller went on to play in the NFL, NFL Europe and the CFL, and he later appeared in a handful of motion pictures, including "Bringing Down the House" and "Mr. 3000."
He was a great lover of country music and told The Salt Lake Tribune shortly before he died that Canadian musician Scotty Hills agreed to perform songs Miller wrote on an upcoming album.
Miller was father to nine children and one stepson.
Miller was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, an incurable cancer of the plasma cells, in 2010.
After chemotherapy, radiation, bone marrow and stem-cell transplants, he was told by a doctor in Wisconsin last month that he needed end-of-life hospice care.
His first wife, Marnie Oliver, took him in and looked after him for the past two weeks at her West Jordan home.
There Miller was visited by a host of family, friends, fans and old teammates, and he even took a trip to the University of Utah's new football facility to meet with his former defensive line coach, Kyle Whittingham.
Earlier this week, after taking steroid medication, his appetite rebounded and he had a surge in energy, Oliver says. But then he became extremely tired. Around 11 a.m. Friday, Miller went into a coma and died at 4:30 a.m. Saturday.
As of Saturday morning, Oliver has raised $11,655 for Millers' costly end-of-life care. Russon Brothers Mortuary has offered to pay for the funeral, but she still must pay for the plot, the vault, flowers and medical expenses.
Miller did not have life insurance. You can donate to Oliver here.
On Tuesday, a viewing will be held from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Southside Church of Christ in West Jordan, with services at noon. Graveside services will be held at Ben Lomond Cemetery in North Ogden. Oliver and Miller allowed The Tribune to visit shortly after his return to Utah, which you can read about here.
Twitter: @matthew_piper