Legacy of John Mills, man killed by shuttle outside Valhalla, lives on through acts of kindness

Tragedy struck last Friday when 69-year-old John Mills, a dedicated security guard at the PGA Championship, was fatally struck by a shuttle bus outside the Valhalla Golf Club. The incident left the golfing community in shock.But the story doesn’t end there. Just an hour later, another twist unfolded: Scottie Scheffler, the world’s top-ranked golfer, was arrested by Louisville Metro Police for allegedly attempting to drive around the accident scene.As the city mourns the loss of Mills, his family has made a heartfelt request. In lieu of traditional funeral flowers, they are urging friends, family, and well-wishers to contribute to a cause that was close to John’s heart: the Bluegrass Center for Autism.The BCA, a nonprofit organization, provides individualized one-on-one treatment for children and young adults on the autism spectrum. "This morning when the obituary came out before noon, we had over $1,000 that had already been donated to BCA," said Sterling Franklin, a spokesperson for the BCA.Mills had been utilizing his maintenance skills during retirement to support the center. For six weeks leading up to his tragic death, he quietly worked on various maintenance projects across all three BCA campuses.One such project was the installation of a brand-new water station. Unnoticed until Wednesday, a water fountain was upgraded to one of those modern units that conveniently fill up water bottles. “I came in, and our water fountain had been changed. We had kind of a broken water fountain that we used frequently. When I asked about it, they told me that John had just done this last week.”Mills exemplified a life lived with a generous heart. His legacy now inspires others to follow suit. "We were just really grateful and blown away. What a wonderful way to commemorate someone's life," said FranklinIf you’d like to honor Mills’ memory, consider making a donation to the Bluegrass Center for Autism. Click here to donate.