To heaven in an instant, Jim Serrill says, is how his 17-year-old daughter Hannah left this life, and 10 years later the thought triggers tears and heartache just as quickly.

He is known more famously as Timber Jim, the first mascot of the Portland Timbers. A tree man by trade, he would hang upside down from the rafters during the game, all while beating a bass drum "like a rented mule," he says.

And to honor Oregon's heritage, he would climb to the highest point in the stadium – atop an 80-foot spar pole at the south end of the field — where his drum was interrupted only by the revving of his chainsaw, which he used to rally enthusiasm for an impending corner kick.

He would stay atop the pole until the Timbers scored.

He has been retired as Timber Jim since 2008, but his presence is still felt at every home game. It is Serrill and the memory of Hannah who are the muse behind what is now a 10-year tradition at Timbers games: the singing of "You Are My Sunshine" in the 80th minute.

"It was Hannah's favorite song,'' Serrill says. "She was the happiest little kid.''

It turned out to be a moment in Timbers history that would live on.

"He had his granddaughter there, she was real little, and he had her in his arms,'' Lenhart recalls. "And he just led the song. He was pretty emotional about it, and everybody else was pretty emotional because they knew what was going on.''

Through tears, "You Are My Sunshine" made its debut.

"Now, they sing it EVERY game,'' Serrill says.

Added Lenhart: "It became our little piece of history, a ritual. And it's pretty emotional. I think that's why it has stuck.''

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Today, Jim and Diane Serrill hope the song at Timbers games has evolved into an anthem of love and devotion to the Timbers.

Jim wants it to stand for happiness, for good memories, and for family.

It's part of his battle to stay afloat amid a sea of sorrow, and part of his self-awareness that he can't make a difference wallowing in his heartache.

"People can't be around you if you are sad; they can't handle it,'' Serrill says. "My dear friends couldn't deal with it. They didn't want to be around me. I was destroyed. I lost my mind. I was so grief-stricken that I became a shell of myself.''

He quit his job building power lines and went back to trimming trees around power lines.

"You gotta have your head in the game to be a lineman," Serrill says, "and I thought I could kill somebody by not being attentive enough.''

He became an advocate for using seat belts correctly, and for not driving when fatigued. And he has been a pillar of forgiveness with the father of Keiana, who was also the driver who took away his daughter.

"With my faith, forgiveness is not recommended, it's required,'' Serrill says.

Still, when he would give his talks about seat belts and fatigued driving, both would invariably cause him to break down in front of first aid and CPR classes.

"I had to get beyond that,'' Serrill says. "I had to find a way to live. I have a loving wife, two other daughters and four grandchildren. I had to be emotionally available for them.''

One of the ways to change was his view of "You are My Sunshine.''

"It's a happy song, so I use it to think about the good times Hannah gave us,'' Serrill says.

One of those good times is her daughter, Keiana, who is now 12.

"She reminds me so much of Hannah,'' Serrill says. "I call her Hannah all the time, then catch myself. She is truly a gift from God through Hannah.''

When the Timbers did a marketing campaign upon their move to MLS in the spring of 2011, they asked Serrill, the only non-player to be inducted into the team's Ring of Honor, to take part. He chose to pose with Keiana, his arm draped around her neck as they both hold axes.

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Throughout the years, the 80th minute of Timbers home games have meant different things to different people.

Amid the Timbers Army, an animated and spirited section of more than 5,000 at the north end, Lenhart says the song is a favorite among the 12 or so that are performed during any given game.

"It helps that a lot of people know the words, but it does seem like a lot of people have some sort of memory tied to that song,'' Lenhart said. "I've just heard people say stuff like, 'I used to sing that to our kid ...' "

Says Serrill: "The face of a baby when it looks up at you while you are singing that song, it melts your heart. There's just a bond between you two that you can't explain.''

Perhaps that's why the other day, when Serrill was working in the community garden at his Tualatin church, he got an odd feeling.

"I was working there all morning,'' Serrill said. "And eventually I looked up and there's a sunflower there. I had never noticed it before. But there it was, now opened. That sunflower was watching me all morning.

"It felt like Hannah was watching me.''

And that, he says, was a happy feeling.

--Jason Quick | @jwquick