To his friends, he was James Miller, gentle and fun-loving, passionate about hiking, mountain climbing and, above all, flight. To boxing fans, he had another identity: The Fan Man. In 1993, before a nationally televised audience, Miller paraglided into an outdoor heavyweight fight in Las Vegas between Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe and proceeded to get pummeled unconscious by Bowe’s entourage. His stunt was memorialized in a way James could appreciate: Fan Man made an appearance in a 1996 episode of The Simpsons.
Miller’s love for adventure, humor and the outdoors came to an end in September. Wracked by pain, deep in debt from medical bills, he drove to a remote trail head and took one last hike. He chose a spot where he was not likely to be found, attached a nylon strap to a tree and then his neck and leaned against it, killing himself by asphyxiation. His body was found by hunters March 9, devastating his many fans such as Britain’s Nick Laws. Read More >>>