Bill would require movable soccer nets to be secured to the ground

NA PANE E--Garrett Mills’ father said that shortly before Garrett’s death, his son had worried about leaving a legacy. Now that legacy will live on to protect others from the dangers of climbing on unanchored soccer nets.

“It does put a smile on my heart to see that there’s a legitimate legacy that’ll come from Garrett’s death ,” David Mills told Post media Network. “I would trade it all in a heart beat to have him back. He’ d be embarrassed by all of it, but he’d be encouraged to see that this is making a positive impact.”

In the evening of May 12, Garrett, 15, was with his girlfriend and his best friend at Na pane e’ s King Street Park soccer field before heading to a movie. Mills said his son had been working on his chin-ups, and after reading the Ontario Provincial Police’ s report on his son’ s death, he learned that his son had done a chin-up on the crossbar of the soccer net when it fell forward and crushed him.

“The first responders from ambulance, O PP, the fire department, ER staff, they did everything they could to try to save him,” Mills said. “He was gone instantly. The accident happened at 5 p.m. and they didn’t call time of death until 5:38 p.m. at the hospital. They really did everything they could.”

On Wednesday, Prince Edwardhastings MPP Todd Smith, a Progressive Conservative, intro- du ced Garrett’ s Legacy Act, a private member’s bill, to the Ontario legislature. Co-sponsored by Kingston and the Islands M PP Sophie Kiw ala, a Liberal, the act would require movable soccer goals to be secured to the ground.

Mills and Garrett’ s mother, Gwen Mills, were in Toronto for the introduction of the bill.

“It was a pretty emotional day,” David Mills said. “I didn’t expect the emotions I felt when we sat in the house and heard our son’ s name attached to the Garrett’s Legacy Act... in this big, historical room where legislation has been passed since the 1800s. It was an emotional moment. Speaking for myself and my wife, it still feels very fresh. It feels like we just lost him.