SPEECH OF
HON. JEFF MILLER
OF FLORIDA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2006
Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share with you the story of a remarkable young man from Milton, Florida. William Christopher Villar, by all surface accounts, was your typical 22 year old. He was attending community college with the hopes of one day obtaining a degree in business. He was working at a job that he loved and he had recently gotten engaged to his long time sweetheart, Heather Dieterich. His life was unfolding the way we hope that all of our children's lives will eventually unfold.
Certainly, it was not these things, or even the fact that, as a young man, he was actively involved with his church that made him atypical. And it was not the fact that he was a star on the basketball court--making the All-Conference and All-State teams his senior year at Central High School in Santa Rosa County--a high school he entered after being home schooled for a number of years. Quite simply, it was his selflessness and his unyielding love for his family that set him apart.
Chris was the oldest of three boys. As such, he was fiercely protective of his younger brothers. There is a story the family tells about an accident that happened 12 years ago that illustrates this best: Chris and Jacob, his youngest brother, were riding in the back seat of their father's car when the driver of an RV, coming over the peak of the 1-10 bridge between Santa Rosa and Escambia counties, failed to slow down for a disabled vehicle. The RV slammed into the Villars' car with enough force to peel the roof back. While we, thankfully, will never have to learn what could have happened that day--we do know that Chris, in an instinctive moment, grabbed his two year old brother Jacob--perched high in his car seat--and threw his own 10 year old body over him to save him. He didn't think of himself.
By and large, the people who knew him all said the same things about him: He was a good boy and he had been raised right. That is a compliment we hear far too infrequently these days, but it is a testament to his parents. It should make them proud.
I wish I could tell you that the story ends there--that this exceptional boy will one day become an exceptional man, an exceptional husband and an exceptional dad. Unfortunately, on the evening of Thursday, June 15th, Christopher Villar's life came to a tragic end when a car driven by a drunk driver crashed through the roof of his family's home. I am not going to talk about the details of the accident, other than to say that it was an avoidable tragedy and a sickening reminder of the dangers of driving while under the influence. But I will talk about something that happened in the moments before. Chris, like so many of us, had been enjoying the NBA playoffs with his family. He was a New York Knicks fan but pulled for the Heat in this series to pick at his younger brother, Matt. They were ribbing about it, as brothers are wont to do, when a loud noise was heard in the front yard. Whether it was the sheer instinct of a protective older brother, the hand of God, or both, Chris pushed Matt away from himself and toward the middle of his room just as the car crashed through the ceiling. In an instant, it was over. If any good can be found in this tragedy, it is that one life was lost instead of two. Once again, Chris hadn't thought of himself.
Mr. Speaker, these words do nothing to ease the pain the friends and family of William Christopher Villar are feeling today. Their void is a void that no words can fill. I share them with you because this remarkable young man deserves to be remembered, not for the tragic accident that took his life, but for the positive impact he had on the lives of others.

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