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Miller, who was more well-known as Tattoo Tom, founded the StillBrave Childhood Cancer Foundation as a single dad, in honor of his daughter, Shayla.
On the StillBrave website, Tom detailed how his daughter's sinus infection turned out to be a massive cancerous tumor consuming two thirds of her chest, he wrote on the StillBrave website.
After her death, Tom went on to dedicate more than a decade of his life to pediatric cancer.
"Tom was a renegade who lived life unapologetically and selflessly devoted himself to others," Suhile Adam Alami said on Facebook. "His passing has left a significant emotional and financial void for his children. We now have an opportunity to support Tom’s family during this difficult time. This is not about charity; it’s about honoring a man who gave everything he had to support others and now ensuring his family has the support they need during this transition."
Tom — whose Facebook page says he lives in Linden, VA and previously, Washington D.C. — turned his skin into "an expression of his life's work," covering himself in cartoons and caricatures to honor the little ones still fighting.
In April 2015, Tom shared his story in a TedX talk titled "Stillbrave: One Father's Journey to Accept the Unacceptable."
Tattoo Tom’s tattoos are an expression of his life’s work and a connection to
"Tattoo Tom’s ability to console the inconsolable is an invaluable asset within the confines of a hospital room," the StillBrave website says. "Humor and compassion, and first-hand knowledge of this kind, are almost impossible to quantify and cannot be delivered in a gift card or care package."
Tom left one final, indelible mark: Giving Ethan, a boy with pediatric cancer, a dream room makeover.
"His tireless efforts, fueled by the love he held for his own daughter Shayla, inspired hope, and brought solace to countless individuals navigating similar journeys," reads a GoFundMe page for the Miller children, launched by Kathryn Kfunk Syarto and Jacqueline Lago.
"Tom has been an incredible source of support to so many families going through the unimaginable and now it is time for us to show up for his family. It is impossible to put into words the pain and grief they are experiencing."
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