Scott Valley comes together amid loss

by Regina Hanna, Crown H Cattle Co

Scott Valley is located in the rugged mountains of Siskiyou County at the top of the state. Known for its scenic vistas, ranches and farms, the rural folks here are very much the outliers of what it means to be a Californian. These proud and welcoming people also fiercely support and celebrate their community. In a moment’s notice they’ll repair a driveway for a neighbor, cook a month’s worth of meals for a sick family, or raise thousands of dollars to send FFA kids to Washington, D.C.

The strength of Scott Valley was most recently felt supporting the Isbell Family. Their son, Miles, battled brain cancer for two years. Scott Valley rolled up its sleeves and held numerous fundraisers to support the family and pediatric cancer research. If you Google #MilesTheBrave, you’ll see an 11-year-old boy who inspired people around the world to live each day to its fullest, give back to their community, always look for the bright side and rock out to “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey, his theme song.

Sadly, Miles passed away on Oct. 21, 2022, surrounded by family and friends. Local rancher and business owner, Mary Heffernan, who helped spearhead Miles’ celebration of life writes, “Community. Miles inspired us in so many ways - but what we saw time after time during his fight against brain cancer was the ways he brought our community together for good.”

The big hearts, strong hands and neighborly-devotion of Scott Valley was evident on Saturday, Nov. 5, when the community gathered to commemorate the vibrant life of Miles Isbell. There were more than 1,200 people in attendance at his celebration of life. It was held in a friend’s hay barn and continued into the evening with lantern lights and his favorite music filling the sky. As Miles’ parents, Joy and Bradley Isbell, share, “If you don’t have a #ScottValleyStrong, go build it!”

Young friends and family served as Miles' Pall Bearers.

EDITOR'S NOTE: In the November issue of the California Cattleman, we kicked off a series of stories from Siskiyou County starting with a feature on the opening of the Nexus Beef Packing Plant in Yreka. Given the widespread communication being shared by ranchers in the Siskiyou County and beyond about Miles’ story and celebration, the California Cattleman editorial team made the decision to plug this story in the series. In the next issue of this magazine, look for the third feature of this series to highlight a few Scott Valley ranchers with direct-to-consumer businesses—including Regina Hanna with Crown H Cattle Co.

Community members gathered to grieve together the night prior to the service and below, friends wait in line to pay their respects the morning of Miles' funeral.

Photos courtesy of Della Hayden, Circle Bar Co.