LANCE MERRILL
Author & Adventurer
BIO
GOD loves YOU ask HIM
Lance Merrill is an adventurer and spiritual activist, Born in Salt Lake City in the early 1950s he sought adventure and renewal in the beauties of creation.. As his need for speed grew and his addiction to adrenaline developed, he helped pioneer several burgeoning extreme sports—hang gliding, aerobatic ski jumping, and free climbing. He flew, jumped, and climbed with the best in the world. His first book, We Should Have Died Young," shares eyewitness accounts of some of these adventures. They all should have died young, and many did.
Lance is in the US Skiers Hall of Fame, and is one of a handful of current Master's Rated HG-5 Hang Gliders in the United States. Lance's sports endeavors have been featured in Powder Magazine, Hang Gliding Magazine, Wasatch Rock Climbs; and shown on KSL, KUTV, and Fox 13 news stories.
As Lance engaged in the lifestyle of an adrenaline junky his searching led him toward a Spiritual dimension. Sequestered in the Peaks of the Wasatch Range he received a personal manifestation that changed his life's journey. Subsequently, Lance served 2 missions for the LDS church as a young man. He married his wife Cherre and together they raised 5 children and have 10 grandchildren. In 2006 their daughter Jani passed away from a drug overdose.
Lance started a national anti addiction organization: Dads Against Drug Dealers." He sponsored several new laws in Utah addressing the drug epidemic in our society. He facilitated a new prescription monitoring program in the State of Utah. Lance has testified to the FDA. He subsequently sued the FDA concerning the agency's alliance publicly with Perdue Pharmaceuticals. His efforts have been featured on Good Morning America, Fox and Friends, and in People Magazine.
Lance has served as a Temple Ordinance worker for the past 28 years. He and his wife, Cherre, are currently serving as Mission Directors for the Healing Through the Savior -Addiction Recovery Program- Provo/BYU Mission.
When some of his grandchildren began calling him in the evenings for bedtime stories. His daughter ,Zani suggested he start a YouTube channel: "Sunshine for the Soul Inspirational Stories. He has felt compelled and directed by the Spirit in this efforts. His channel achieved 10, 000 subscribers, over one-half million views ,and has had almost 100,000 hours of viewing in the first 11 months.
Darol Wagstaff, Aerobatic Freestyle Pioneer
“Freestyle Snow Skiing became a recognized sport in the late 1960s and ‘70s. The mutual love and exhilaration generated by its pioneers was beautiful, dramatic, eye-catching, and large scale, with striking effects. It was MOST SPECTACULAR.
Lance Merrill is one of those Pioneers. You will recognize and experience this free innovative spirit as you read his book, “We should have died young.” This book is a true gift that preserves an era that not only will never die but will be remembered forever.”
John Curtis,
Utah Congressman
“Reading “We should have died young” was a welcome escape. It took me back to a simpler time. Lance and I have enjoyed some great adventures together through the years. His book shares the adrenaline from the early days of sports most of us will only dream of doing.”
Larry Tudor,
World's Best Hang-Glider
"I enjoyed reading Lance's
book: "WE SHOULD HAVE DIED YOUNG." It was great to relive adventures from the early days of hang-gliding. I have recounted these same tales to friends and family for years. Lance captured the day perfectly."
Merrill Bitter, World Renown Technical Rock Climber
Lance and I were privileged to grow up in a time when freedom was abundant. We navigated through the mistakes and trials of youth and pushed our abilities into avenues that had been declared impossible and out of bounds. Our journeys diverged into different passions, Lance in hang gliding and me with climbing. I am glad he shared these perspectives and experiences.
Kim Christensen,
Main Character of: We Should Have Died yYoung
I am so grateful to have had Lance as a life-long, honest, and a true friend. He is gifted with so many talents, including his writing skills; We were blessed with extraordinary experiences while young, and there’s nobody better than Lance to capture them in print. I’m looking forward to many more books from Lance. My adrenaline generating friend.
Ariann Tudor, Paraglider
I have heard stories about Lance for years from my dad, Larry Tudor. It is so exciting to finally see some of the early days of free flight captured in a great book. The legends of our sport are getting older and someone needed to tell the tales. We Should Have Died Young is a fun read.
CONTACT
Provo, Utah
LanceMerrill.com
