The Nicholas Vincent Melomo Award For Courage and Kindness

Hello, my name is Terri Beck, and I am a friend of Nicholas Melomo’s grandparents Max and Peggy Walser. Almost 4 years ago my dear friend Max called to see if we had any N95 masks to share with his 15- year-old grandson who was starting chemo for Osteosarcoma Cancer and needed it during his stay in the hospital. Max had ordered them for his family but with the pandemic raging they never arrived. Thankfully, we did have one and I called friends, and they came through with another one for Nicholas. That was the beginning of a sweet relationship with a young man I had never met. I never got to shake his hand, but I felt his heart and his soul, and he became a part of my life and changed me in many ways. In his short life he touched so many with his kindness, sense of humor, friendship, and plain old zest for life. He was a Warrior for sure, and he brought out that attitude in all those that knew and loved him. We were going to fight to the end with him and for him no matter what that outcome would be. We are now going to continue to do that by helping his family set up a scholarship/award in memory of Nicholas. If through his name, young people achieve their life goals, Nicholas will have served his purpose on this earth. His brilliant mind and wonderful heart will live on through others. For Nicholas, and for the future of so many young folks, we need to come together and honor Nicholas in death as we did in his life.

Never
“Never shall I forget that day, the day my life should change forever, when I heard my doctor speak words I never thought l'd hear.
Never shall I forget that feeling of dread.
Never shall I forget the look on everyone's faces when those words were spoken, the look of disbelief.
Never shall I forget the smell of the sterile air in the hospital unit as I walked in on my two legs for perhaps the last time.
Never shall I forget feeling for my leg only for nothing to be there.
Never shall I forget the awful taste in my mouth as the chemicals flow through my vessels.
Never shall I forget those moments that have since defined my future. Never."
By Nicholas Melomo

The Nicholas Vincent Melomo Award For Courage and Kindness
The Nicholas Vincent Melomo Scholarship Award honors the memory of an extraordinary young man who displayed a warrior spirit of tremendous courage and determination throughout his four-year battle against osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer. Nicholas displayed an incredible enthusiasm for life that was obvious in his many experiences and relationships during his nearly 19 years. He was truly a kind, good-hearted person with a wonderful sense of humor and ever- present smile. His strong, loving spirit was obvious in his caring concern and encouragement for other cancer patients whom he encountered while enduring his own chemo treatments, surgeries, and a leg amputation.

Nicholas beautifully and bravely embraced life and inspired others in the amazing and honorable way he lived, remaining upbeat and positive, and focused on concern for others more than for himself. Even at the hardest points of his illness he showed incredible strength and determination as he continued to share light and wisdom of what is most important when it is obvious that life is short. Nicholas’ wish was that everyone “be kind to each other and slow to anger. ” Nicholas’ lasting legacy is that he helped people who knew him to be better human beings as he demonstrated how to live our best lives with goodness, courage, dignity and grace.

To be eligible for the Nicholas Vincent Melomo Scholarship/Award, candidates should be enrolled in Enloe High School, where Nicholas attended in Raleigh or North Davidson High School, where his mom attended. Applicants should have faced significant obstacles in pursuing their education, and their persevering with courage and kindness despite these obstacles. The “obstacles” can derive from issues related to a student’s physical or mental health, or family and life circumstances (e.g. cancer, chronic disease, death of a parent or sibling, pregnancy, or homelessness). The student’s “persevering with courage and kindness” can be evidenced simply by their interest in continuing their education, despite their hardship, and doing so in a way that reflects Nicholas’ own courage in pursuing a life that inspires others through kindness and concern for others.

Applicants should include their name and respond in essay form to the following:
1. Give a brief description of your obstacles and a brief statement about your character and actions relevant to persevering with courage and kindness.
2. Describe in detail life experiences that required you to show courage, resilience, determination and explain how you responded to the situation.
3. Describe in detail, ways in your life that you have exhibited kindness for others and enthusiasm for life.
4. Provide letters of endorsement from two adults in your life, giving examples that you have shown courage and kindness.

Applications must be made by April 15, 2024. Applications should be sent to the parents of Nicholas Melomo (Lee and Vinnie Melomo) at 1314 Lorimer Road, Raleigh NC 27606 who would then select the winner of the award. Award winners will receive a framed certificate and $1,000.00.
Applicants should include their email address and telephone in the application.

Please share on your media sites and with your friends and family. Thank you so much.

Contributions to the Wake County Partnership and Davidson County Education Foundation are categorized as 501c programs and are tax deductible.

* For those of you who wish to contribute to the Nicholas Melomo Scholarship/Award, make checks to WakeEd Partnership (please put Nicholas Melomo Scholarship/Award on the bottom of your check on the left side under memo) and mail to:
*WakeEd Partnership 1816 Capital Blvd Raleigh, NC 27604
*Online donations may be made by credit card at:
https://wakeed.kindful.com/?campaign=1286048

* For those of you who wish to contribute by check to the Davidson County Education Foundation, please put Nicholas Melomo Scholarship/Award on the memo line and mail check to:
Davidson County Education Foundation Nicholas Melomo Scholarship/Award PO Box 444
Lexington, NC 27293
*Online donations may be made by credit card or PayPal at:
https://dcefnc.org/

Lee, Vinnie, and Henry Melomo, Irene Melomo (Vinnie’s mom) and Max and Peggy Walser wish to thank all the people who have been with us on Nicholas’ Journey for the past four years. It is our hope that this memorial will continue for years to come as an endowment and to Nicholas’ legacy.