In life, everything comes full circle. Troy Miles, Regional Philanthropic Officer for the Red Cross Greater St. Louis Region, is proof of that. Throughout his life, the Red Cross has showed up at important moments, propelling Troy into a life of service to others. This journey began when he was just 19 years old.
Troy’s First Experience with the Red Cross
Troy’s first interaction with the Red Cross occurred when he was 19. At the time, he was serving in the military and had just returned from visiting his grandmother for Mother’s Day. The visit revealed a truth that his family members didn’t have the heart to tell him: his grandmother was sick. Sadly she passed away just five days after Troy left her side.
Because he’d used his leave to go home the previous week, Troy was dealing with a difficult situation. He was emotionally crushed because aside from his mother, his grandmother was the second most important person in his life, and he didn’t know if he was going to be able to get back home for her funeral. Just when he’d lost hope, the Red Cross reached out to him and helped him get home for his grandmother’s funeral. This sparked both Troy’s interest in the Red Cross and his thoughts on what it means to truly help others in their time of need.
“Because someone did something for me, I’ve spent my lifetime repaying that,” said Troy.
Receiving Help after a Home Fire
The second encounter Troy had with the Red Cross happened when he was 35 years old, just after his house burned down due to an electrical fire. Coming out of a Sunday work meeting, Troy was horrified to hear the news about the fire and was relieved to know that his wife and child were safe. On that day, he recalls how the Red Cross showed up just after the fire department and gave him enough money to get back on his feet. It took him back to being a 19-year-old young man when the Red Cross helped him get back to his family. Today, Troy remembers these instances that propelled him into a life of service.
“I’m happy about how it all came together, I really am. The opportunity to serve in a way that others have served me,” said Troy.
A Lifesaving Donation
Five years later, Troy’s mother was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer. While in the hospital, she received platelets from the Red Cross to get through a series of chemo and radiation treatments. She has been cancer free for 12 years now.
“I know she wouldn’t have survived breast cancer without the platelet donations from the Red Cross,” said Troy.
Giving Back in His Own Way
After working in social services for 30 years, Troy applied for his current role at the Red Cross. When he found out he’d gotten the position, he was ecstatic. He was looking for a role that would help him continue to grow and knew that this was his opportunity to give back to an organization that had helped him throughout his life.
Find Your Unique Way to Contribute
“If you are looking for an honest way to contribute, there’s no greater way than the Red Cross. Every day you come to work, you contribute to someone else’s life. You don’t always see the end result, but you’re laying the foundation to help build a person’s life. If you want to do something that means something, this is really the place to be,” said Troy.
Find your dream career by visiting https://www.redcross.org/about-us/careers.html.