Khari Askia Miller entered this physical world on April 14, 1971. He and his brother, Oronde, were both raised in Detroit, Michigan, by their wonderful and loving parents, Georgella and Dr. Ellword Miller.
Spending his early years at elementary and middle schools in Detroit, Khari later graduated from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School (c/o 1988), where he helped lead the tennis and swimming teams to multiple championships. Khari was an especially talented tennis player, who briefly considered a professional tennis career. Khari decided to attend Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida instead on a tennis scholarship, where he remained for several years. He returned to Detroit to complete his undergraduate studies, receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in Radio, TV and Film Communications from Wayne State University in 1995.
Khari pursued a career in sales and marketing during his early years out of college with Ford Motor Company as well as spending numerous years as a sales manager with Lease Marketing. Khari then decided to turn his attention to public speaking, drawing upon his prior experiences in sales, marketing and communications, along with his unique insights on inspiration and personal motivation. Working with the internationally renown motivational speaker and life coach Anthony Robbins, Khari shared successful strategies with individuals, organizations and corporations to help them achieve their peak performance and realize their full potential. Khari would draw upon these skills again in his later sales and marketing career with Sprint PCS.
It was during his motivational speaking travel and touring that Khari was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma in March of 2000. After numerous regimens of chemotherapy and radiation treatments, including several experimental treatment studies, Khari eventually underwent two bone marrow transplants in which his brother was able to be the proud donor. The second transplant in particular contributed to Khari being able to enjoy a new Quality of Life that he remained very thankful for during his remaining years of life.
In an effort to more directly share his experiences and reflections on perseverance and triumph over adversity, Khari moved to Raleigh in 2006 to work with one of the nation's pioneering adoption agencies. It was shortly after moving to Raleigh that Khari met his wonderful wife Lynda. Khari spent his remaining several years sharing his gift of inspiration through motivational speaking and consulting, sharing a message of hope, perseverance and triumph over adversity with social service professionals, educators, foster and adoptive parents, and youth. Khari, along with his wife Lynda, also served as a therapeutic foster parent for several years in Wake County, North Carolina.
Khari enjoyed spending his time playing golf and contributing to the activities of the fraternity he so loved, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Joining the Detroit Alumni Chapter in 1996, Khari continued his service as a devoted member of the Raleigh Alumni Chapter where he also served as Keeper of Records. In all of his professional and personal endeavors, Khari always exemplified the pursuit of achievement in every field of human endeavor. He took advantage of every opportunity to pass this passion for achievement and excellence on to others, especially to youth through his support of the Kappa League and other youth development activities in the Raleigh area.
Khari transitioned from this physical life on Saturday, February 25, 2012, from complications related to his long and valiant fight with Hodgkins Lymphoma. He was preceded in death by his father, Dr. Ellword Miller, of Bingham Farms, MI. Khari leaves behind to cherish his wonderful memory his wife Lynda Rodriguez; his mother Georgella Miller; his brother Oronde Miller (Amina Watson); Mother-in-law Gwendolyn Clark; step-children José, Darius and Brandy Rodriguez; several aunts and uncles, Aunt Ruth Simms; Aunt May Lockhart; Aunt Pearl Corley; Uncle William and Aunt Vera Burgess; Aunt Rose Hurston; Uncle Claude and Aunt Shirley Burgess; Aunt Barbara Miller; and Uncle Jimmie and Aunt Louise Miller; a niece and nephew that Uncle Khari absolutely adored, Aya Nyela Miller and Damani Askia Miller; as well as a host of cousins and friends.
Khari will surely be missed, although his presence and bright light will continue to shine through all of us that love him and cherish his memory.
