Members of the Aikido Hartford dojo gathered Saturday for a memorial practice in tribute to a former member, Trooper First Class Kevin Miller.
Miller sustained fatal injuries in a crash on I-84 in Tolland while on duty Thursday.
Miller joined the Vernon dojo in 1994 after returning from service as a marine in the Gulf war, and spent years training to become a second-degree black belt.
Jack Tran, a senior member of the dojo, knew Miller all that time. He drove past the exit near where Trooper Miller lost his life just 30 minutes before the crash and said he was brought to tears when he heard the news. Tran will be part of a memorial practice.
Aikido is a martial art of love and Tran said Miller was the best manifestation of that.
“I think there’s some sense of angry-anger why he wasn’t around with us much longer, but I’ve come to accept that he lived a good life of helping others and we all have fond memories of him,” Tran said.
Tran added that it was important for fellow students and their instructors to join together this morning to honor their friend and share those memories.
