042326...R NIL-TREE 3...Niles...04-23-26...Family and supporters along with Niles school officials watch as a tree is planted in the front lawn of Niles McKinley HS Thursday morning in honor of Chase Miller, a student at Niles McKinley HS, who died of cancer last February..by R. Michael Semple

Under Thursday morning’s picturesque spring sky, family members, two Niles school board members, administrators, central office employees and a few Niles McKinley High School employees gathered near the entrance of Niles McKinley High School to honor the life of 16-year-old Chase Miller, whose courageous battle with cancer touched the Niles community.

The event centered on the planting of a Japanese Kanzan cherry tree, a living tribute to Chase. Soil was broken in a group effort by brother Layton Busse, 19; sister Harlyn Busse, 9; sister Dakotah Busse, 16; cousin Madilyn Busse, sister Miranda Spell; and Layton Busse’s girlfriend, Natalia Tate. Chase’s oldest sibling, Morgan Spell, was unable to attend the event due to work obligations.

Bobbi Jo Boyd, Chase’s mother, described her son as having a very big heart. He loved music, with hip-hop being his favorite genre, she said, and something very few people knew was that he also liked Taylor Swift. Matt Busse described his stepson as a good student and a good friend. He loved video games and playing soccer and brought a light into any room he entered.

The tree was purchased by the Niles Board of Education. Patrone Brothers Landscaping and Garden Center of Girard donated the in-kind services. The planting site was backhoe-excavated by Patrone. Topsoil was then added to complete the planting of the pink-blossoming tree.

Niles High School teachers were informed that they could bring their classes out at any time after the tree planting was complete.

“Yesterday was Earth Day. We thought this was the perfect day for people to come out. Prom is tomorrow for the district, so the timing worked out perfectly. Plus, we got a beautiful day for it,” Superintendent Ann Marie Thigpen said.

Thigpen said the board wanted to do something special, and this was an opportunity to plant a tree on the grounds where 600 students can see it every day.

Matt Busse wore a T-shirt with the words “Frick Cancer #Chase Strong”. Busse is currently in the process of starting a nonprofit organization. It is a play on words, explained Busse. Chase used the term “frick”.

“We wanted to get something in his name. “Chase Strong” represents the strength he had, never giving up,” said Busse.

Busse said he would like the new nonprofit to present annual scholarships to two Niles McKinley High School seniors, explaining that these scholarships will not be the usual academic or athletic-based scholarships. Rather, these scholarships will be based on attributes exemplified by Chase and based on character. A golf outing is tentatively planned for Aug. 2, with more details to follow.

Kind, helpful, compassionate, empathetic, optimistic, vibrant and hardworking are the attributes in a student they will seek when awarding the scholarships.

“People will look back and remember what he was as a person,” Busse said.

A stone plaque to be placed at the base of the tree was donated by the Niles Board of Education with the words “Planted in Memory of Chase Miller. December 9, 2009-February 18, 2026 Rooted in Love, Always in our Heart.”