A Glorious Life

Book excerpt: This story of inspiration and determination is based on life of Val Melvin. The story includes his birth, his operations, places he had lived, and his education at the Eastern North Carolina School for the Deaf in Wilson, NC. He was born without ears and without a lower mandible (jaw), and he had a difficulty breathing. His doctors inserted a trach. His parents never gave up and learned how to care for him before taking him home. Val's parents realized that their young son was deaf and had to learn sign language to communicate. When Val was six, he was enrolled at ENCSD. The teachers and staff helped me learn and grow. He has fond memories at ENCSD like his teacher Mary Sue Humphrey forcing him eat pimento cheese sandwiches. He remained in ENCSD until he graduated in 1988. Val had many operations when he was young, and it continued until 2002. He moved to Raleigh to finish college and to graduate from Wake Technical Community College in 1995. He later worked at the Department of Revenue in Raleigh for fourteen years. Val is currently a volunteer at the library of ENCSD where he grew up. He is a Christian and attends the Temple of Pentecost. He loves spending time with his family and friends at ENCSD. He loves swimming and spends summers at White Lake, NC.