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Press Box: Blake Mills death; basketball and baseball notes
He was attending Chapman at the time of his death.
Relatives and friends of Blake Mills are dealing with the death last week of the former Woodbridge High volleyball star.
The family has received an out-pouring of support from the community, according to his father, Don Mills.
A private service was scheduled Friday with only family members attending. A private burial service is scheduled this weekend.
Family members are reacting in different ways to the death of the 21-year-old Mills. But Mills said his youngest son, 13-year-old Zachary, has dealt with Blake Mills' death the best.
"He said, 'thank you God,'" adding that he was grateful his brother was no longer in pain.
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Blake Mills had suffered from Behcet's Disease the past three years of his life. Although he never complained about it, the disease created serious challenges for Mills, who was attending Chapman University at the time of his death at his home on June 30.
Despite being diagnosed with the disease, Blake Mills never complained about his condition to his parents and he was determined to overcome it.
Now, the family is trying to cope with his loss, but remaining positive about his short life and the impact he had on others.
Mills said he accomplished a lot in his short time of life, and judging from the reaction of his former coaches, he made quite an impact.
We were fortunate enough to watch Mills in action on the volleyball court. He was a talented, highly competitive player who wanted the best for his teammates. We never got to know him, but did sit next to his father during a Woodbridge volleyball match in his senior year.
His father, who described his son as a "true Warrior," was so proud of his son and so excited about his future.
Now, he is trying to cope with the loss of his 21-year-old son.
A public service is being planned on July 30 at 2 p.m. at Chapman University.
This is a tough story to cover, but there will always be some shining lights through adversity like this.
We welcome comments from Blake Mills' former teammates so we can share them with our readers.
It sounds like Blake Mills impacted many and would be good to hear some of the ways he did from those who knew him best.
