Sixteen-year-old Anthony Melena is an avid history buff. And a sports buff. And he loves to travel.
So imagine the thrill he experienced in September when he went to Beijing, China, as part of an American delegation at the 2008 Paralympic Games.
“I guess I was speechless (when I heard I was going),” said Melena, who will begin his senior year at Millikan High when classes resume in the fall. “I couldn’t believe it.”
Melena was born with Peter’s Anomaly, a rare eye disorder that leads to blindness. Melena had limited sight as a youngster before losing it completely in the second grade.
That never stopped him, however, from leading an active life. According to Sharon Lemmis, a Millikan teacher for visually impaired students who has known him since he was a child, Melena made a habit of kicking soccer balls onto the rooftops at Prisk Elementary School on a daily basis. He’s also played T-Ball, has gone skiing, has competed in judo and has been a part of the Millikan wrestling program for three years.
In fact, it was through the judo program at the Braille Institute of Orange County that Melena learned of the opportunity to attend the Paralympics, an international competition for physically challenged athletes. Melena wrote a 400-word essay to the U.S. Paralympic Academy, explaining why it would be a dream-come-true to visit China, and was one of only 25 American youngsters to be chosen for the all-expenses-paid trip.
“I love history very much and I think it would be fascinating to visit an ancient and historic place like Beijing,” Melena wrote in his eloquent and articulate essay. “Meeting people from other parts of the world would further the educational experience.”
Once in Beijing, Melena attended swimming, fencing, volleyball, rugby and basketball events and had the opportunity to interact with many Paralympic participants.
“I got to meet with a lot of athletes, which was pretty cool,” he said.
His favorite part of the trip was a visit to the ancient Great Wall.
“There were a lot of people there,” he said. “A lot of walking, too.”
There was another perk to the trip as well.
“It was awesome. I got to miss a week of school,” he said.
Lemmis describes Melena as “incredibly, incredibly smart” and an avid reader who also writes poetry and short stories. His favorite classes are English and history and he’s taken two years of Italian as well. Melena is fluent in Spanish and would like to study linguistics in college.
As a wrestler, Melena has competed mostly at the junior varsity level with significant success. He finished second at the Carter High School JV Tournament in the 130-pound class, losing a tough 8-6 match in the final.
“To be honest, I’ve been amazed watching him wrestle many times,” said Millikan wrestling coach Marshall Thompson. “He’s competing against tough guys. … He’s very scrappy.”
Marshall has made a few accommodations for Melena – a teammate guides him during runs and coaches verbalize instructions for him more than just demonstrate – but the staff and team try to treat him just like any other wrestler.
“I recognize the limitations,” said Thompson, “… but I don’t cut him any slack.”
Melena enjoys being part of the team and looks forward to his senior year on the mat.
“I know I’m not the best wrestler,” he said, “but I keep improving. Maybe next year I’ll make varsity. I just need to train more.
“I like going out and wrestling other people,” he continued. “I love competition. That’s my favorite part.”
In his essay, Melena wrote about an inspiring meeting with 10 blind young adults from Tibet who climbed Mount Everest and his struggles to become more independent despite his families’ worries for his safety.
“When I lost my sight, I actually didn’t have a lot of trouble adjusting to my situation,” he wrote. “I always look on the bright side of things.
“… Growing up being blind and a very energetic boy, I often ended (judo and wrestling tournaments) with a new bump or bruise. After seeing that my disability doesn’t matter in sports, (my family) began to accept my decision to dedicate more of my time to practicing and competing.
“… Being at the Paralympics would be an awesome experience,” he wrote in his last paragraph. “Interacting with other athletes with disabilities will be a once in a lifetime opportunity I would not like to miss out on.”
With his positive attitude and dedication, it’s pretty certain there isn’t much Melena will ever miss.
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