A young and gifted athlete, Clayton Miller, passed away in an accident on Saturday, March 15, 2025, at just 14 years old.
Clayton was struck by an SUV while riding his electric bicycle near Lakeland Avenue and Madison Drive in the Willoughby Acres neighborhood of North Naples, Florida.
Clayton Miller, a 14-year-old aspiring football player, is survived by his mother, Janet Dell Miller, and his stepfather, Matt Cipollene.
Clayton Miller is preceded in death by his father, Eric, who died in 2019 from a long battle with cancer.
The Paradise Coast Parents extended a deeply heartfelt message of condolence to Miller, acknowledging the sorrow of his mother, who had to go through the loss of two cherished individuals within nearly six years. The post read,
That boy was her world! she lost her husband in 2019 after he had a long hard battle with cancer and now her only child?!? we MUST wrap this woman and her family in love and support!!
Clayton Miller’s mother, Janet Dell Miller, is in a relationship with Matt Cipollene from Cicero, New York.
It seems that Janet and Matt have been dating since 2020, as the oldest photo of them together on Matt’s Facebook dates back to June of that year. Nonetheless, the precise details of their relationship timeline remain unknown.
Clayton Miller and Matt were close friends because they shared common experiences in life. Matt lost his mother to cancer when he was a child, and so did Miller when his father died of the same disease, hence making them closer.
Matt took to his Facebook to pen down a lengthy eulogy pouring his heart out,
Clayton was such an amazing kid and I was so lucky to share the last 6 years with him growing together.
I wanted so bad to make a positive impact on Clayton’s life and have him grow up to be a great person, which he most definitely would have. He was so smart, funny, handsome, athletic and had the BIGGEST heart.
Speaking of his stepfather Matt’s profession, he is a caddy at East Hampton Golf Club and Calusa Pines Golf Club LLC. Previously, he worked as a caddy at Tiburón Golf Club.
Miller studied marketing at the State University of New York at Oswego.
Young Athlete Clayton Miller Joined the Naples Hurricanes Football Team at Five Years Old!
From the moment Miller joined the Naples Hurricanes football team at the tender age of five, his dedication and passion for sports were evident to everyone around him.
He was a significant part of the Hurricanes’ journey for nine seasons and eight memorable years. He proudly represented the team as he progressed through levels from Tiny Mites to 13U.
His exceptional talents on the football field earned him a place in history as a National Champion and a four-time Peace River Champion and Regional Champion.
Likewise, Miller excelled in track and field, flag football, and baseball. In addition to his athletic achievements, he also excelled academically.
Miller’s academic commitment earned him the distinguished title of All-American Scholar last season.
Those who knew Clayton remember him as a leader and a true sportsman.
Although his family has not yet released the details of his funeral services, a GoFundMe account has been created to assist them with the associated expenses.
