Midland’s mother uses daughter’s story to raise awareness for Tetralogy of Fallot
SUMTER, S.C. (WIS) - This American Heart Month, Regina Miller is one mom who continues to use her story to help others triumph over tragedy.
She lost her 2-year-old daughter Queen Victoria Miller to Tetralogy of Fallot, a very rare heart condition that causes blood to flow out of the heart and into the rest of the body.
In 2015, she founded the Queen Victoria Miller Heart Foundation to share the story of her daughter, and as a platform to help others.
“I can’t imagine not doing what I do,” said Regina Miller, the mom of Queen Victoria Miller, “She was such an amazing child.”
Queen Victoria was always smiling and was walking by the time she was nine months old. While Queen was still alive, Miller was a teen mom and brought her to high school every day while graduating on time.
After she passed away in February 1991, Regina eventually discovered sharing her daughter’s story would help her grieve, while raising awareness around the heart disease that took her.
“I promised my daughter that I would tell the world why she left me so soon,” Miller said.
Little would Regina know; the foundation would become a platform for other families in a similar situation to herself. Through the foundation, Regina has created a community of people who are going through similar struggles and dealing with family members suffering from TOF.
“(Make) them feel like someone cares in this situation and I did not have that,” Miller said, “No one came to my bedside when I was with my daughter; those moments while she was hooked up to all those machines.”
She holds interviews with families every Thursday and Friday, giving people the opportunity to share their story on the foundation’s page. She also holds teddy bear drives and other events annually that help shine a light on the illness.
“I knew I had to keep the promise,” Miller said, “That’s why I do what I do,” Miller said.
Donale Miles, Queen’s youngest sister, has been inspired to follow in the footsteps of her mom, helping her create awareness around the heart condition through the foundation. While she typically likes to DJ at a handful of the events the foundation holds every year, the biggest thing for her is supporting her mom.
“She creates platforms for herself and the fact that she’s sharing (her’s) I think is selfless,” Miles said, “I’m here to support 1000%.”
Anyone who wants to connect with Regina and the Queen Victoria Miller Foundation can do so on their Facebook page.
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