By Renee Hunter

Melanie Conway has seen more adversity in 18 years than many people three times her age, but she is still cheerful.

The Vilonia High School senior lost her father during the seventh grade. Robert Conway died of a heart attack in April 2003 two months after triple bypass surgery.

When Melanie was 2, her dad, a Marine, was shot in the head during a riot in Florida a month before being discharged. He was in a coma for six months, and his wife, Deborah, was told he might live two years. He lived 10 years, and every day together was one they hadn’t expected to have.

“We had prepared ourselves for his death,” Deborah said. “He was thankful for every day.” 

Because he was retired on disability, Robert was able to spend a lot of time with his daughters, especially Melanie, who, based on the ultrasounds, was expected to be a boy.

“I was always the one he would take camping and fishing because he always wanted a boy and I was it,” she said. “I still fish and camp.” 

Before her dad’s death, Melanie played basketball and ran track, but afterward she quit sports. “I felt I couldn’t go on without my biggest fan,” she said. “He never missed a game.” Melanie never returned to competitive sports.

“Looking back, I wish I hadn’t dropped out,” she said. “I think he would have liked me to go on.”

After Robert’s death, Melanie’s grades dropped temporarily from A’s and B’s to C’s, but the next year, they bounced back and have remained high.

Melanie and her mother have to deal with their own health issues as well.

Deborah was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in the 1990s and has had two surgeries to correct the disease’s ravages. From an early age, her daughters had to help her. “I couldn’t do anything for myself,” she said. She is now on a high dosage of medication that allows her to cope.

Melanie has suffered from migraines, which nauseate her and occasionally cause her to faint, since she was 14. She is on medication for them, but lately has begun passing out again for unknown reasons.

“They thought it was my heart at one time,” she said. They ruled that out and then discovered that she has thyroid problems that might cause the fainting. “I’ve had lots of referrals.”

The passing out caused her to miss two weeks of school in April, but she managed to hang on to her B average, as well as holding down a job – or two.

Melanie began working at Arby’s when she turned 16, and continued for two years. In October, when she turned 18, she took a job at El Chico and kept the Arby’s job as well until February. “I was working seven days a week for a while,” she said.

A close family is one of the reasons Melanie has made it through the hard times.

“My mom has always been there for me,” she said.

“I just tell her to trust in God,” said Deborah.

Her three sisters, Kimberly, 21, Tiffany, 23, and Jennifer, 32, have also been supportive, as have her friends.
At the time of Robert Conway’s death, Tiffany was engaged to be married. Her then-fiancé, Josh Kelley, had planned to ask for Tiffany’s hand in marriage, but Robert died before he could.

“My sister’s wedding was really hard for her because dad wasn’t there to walk her down the aisle,” Melanie said.
Melanie graduated from Vilonia High School on May 17. “My graduating and him not being there is going to be hard as well,” she said.

In the fall, she will attend the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton and then the University of Central Arkansas to earn a degree in early childhood development so that she can teach. In doing so she will follow in the footsteps of Kimberly, who will graduate from UCA in December with a teaching degree.

“I love kids,” Melanie said. “And I like school, so what better job to have than at school.”