2. Melanie’s three children How many 21 year-old mothers of three young children have disappeared in the last two years? ONLY ONE: Melanie Metheny Nathan, 4 Ryan, 6 Hannah, 3
3. The goals in Melanie’s life were defined by the three little ones sitting in her lap in this photo. “ My whole life revolves around my three kids. My oldest boy Ryan is three and will be four in March. My middle boy is two he will be three in October, his name is Nathan . My last child and youngest is Hannah she is 11 months she will be one year old in March.” –Melanie Metheny for SPOKES, March 16, 2006
4. Melanie was honest about mistakes she had made, absolute in her dedication to her children’s well-being and education, and very involved in their day to day lives. “ Ryan is in this head start program at Morris Enrichment Center a church in Kanawha City. He goes two days a week and does great. He is so smart! He comes home and tells me all about his day and all about the kids in his class. I was only 16 when I had him, and I had no clue how to take care of a baby. But, when I saw him for the first time it just hit me, and after that it came natural.” –Melanie Metheny for SPOKES March 16, 2006
5. Melanie was loyal, open and matter of fact about the people she loved and very perceptive about what her children were going through in their life with their “single Mom.” “ Nathan is my spoiled baby. He slept with my fi ancé and me until he was almost two. So it’s hard leaving him every day to go to school. He goes to school every day, and he normally breaks my heart every morning. He gives me this pathetic look like it’s the end of the world, and as soon as he sees me start to leave he starts screaming. It kills me every time. But when I pick him up at the end of the day his daycare teacher always says he does great and he sees me, grabs his coat and doesn’t look back.” –Melanie Metheny for SPOKES March 16, 2006
6. Melanie was a keen observer of her children’s behavior and determined to find ways to further their education. “ Hannah is my only little girl and she is the sweetest little thing you’ll ever meet. She looks just like me when I was a baby. She is not shy, she’ll go to anyone and she will smile you to death. Her daycare teachers tell me every day that she never even cried. She’s just learning to walk, and it’s so cute she will walk with you holding her hand, but as soon as you let go she will take a step and realize you’re gone and get excited, and it looks like she’s trying to jump instead of walk.” –Melanie Metheny for Spokes March 16, 2006
7. Melanie Metheny was headed for a career involving children: their health, their education and their development. It would be unthinkable for her walk off and leave her children and impossible for her to go on without them. “ Being a single mom is not easy at all but watching my kids grow up and watching them learn new things for the first time is the greatest feeling I’ve ever had. I would not change them for the world, and I don’t know where I’d be right now if I didn’t have them. But I know my life wouldn’t have as much meaning.” –Melanie Metheny for SPOKES March 16, 2006
8. In her SPOKES courses, Melanie’s showed steady progress in Applied Math: an important key to unlock future employment in medical science With the future of her three children at stake, Melanie took her second chance education very seriously.
9. Melanie’s also exemplified success in Technology and Business Writing: two more keys to a bright future combining children and medicine. Melanie was all set to be enrolled as a Freshman for the Fall semester 2006 at West Virginia State University.
10. Melanie was so totally INTO making the future better for her children that SPOKES chose her as their “model student,” their poster student.
11. On June 3, 2006, just 46 days before her disappearance, Melanie was still following up on her plans to attend WVSU.
