“I can do all things through Christ, who makes me strong.” That is what Saint Paul said to the Philippians and is also the life motto of Melanie Paul, a deaf person.
Despite being deaf since the age of 12, Melanie Paul has been successful as a guidance counselor, and through volunteering she has helped many people, most notably with therapy with animal assistance, work that for 19 years has provided emotional and physical support to many people in health care facilities.
“I pray a lot for the strength to do what I set out to do.”
Melanie Paul was born in Pennsylvania, a parishioner of St. Joseph's parish in Hampton. After being prescribed the antibiotic Streptomycin, a drug that in rare cases can make patients deaf, Melanie lost her hearing. Three months after taking this drug, she became deaf. But despite her disability, she is steadfast in life. Returning to the Catholic school she attended in first grade, she quickly learned to read lips, looking at the lips of speakers to understand what they were saying, and continued her studies until 8th grade, after which she attended a school. labour.
At school, teachers encouraged Melanie to pursue a career rather than continuing her education. Their advice did not discourage her and she gave up her desire to attend college. On the contrary, she was determined to prove that they were wrong in giving such advice. “I am an optimist when it comes to setting goals for myself and never back down when things get tough,” Melanie told The Catholic Virginian, the newspaper of the Richmond diocese. In fact, I love challenges. I prayed a lot for the strength to do what I set out to do.”
Impressive successes
Melanie has done some impressive work. She holds a bachelor's degree in psychology and sociology from Gallaudet University in Washington and a master's degree in educational counseling and instruction from Western Maryland University. She also holds a degree in education administration and supervision from the College of William and Mary, and she was the first deaf person to graduate from the school. She worked in education for 30 years, primarily as a guidance counselor. A self-taught photographer, she won the "Best in Show" award at the 14th national exhibition of the Daffodil Association of America for her photography of daffodils.
“We become what we love, and those we love shape us.”
Believing in the importance of serving others, especially the call to charity to visit the sick, Melanie became involved in volunteer work. Clare's words, "We become what we love, and those we love shape us," she said, spurred her to the community. Melanie served on the Hampton City Hall Disability Committee for 10 years and currently serves on the Hampton Animal Control Advisory Committee. For 10 years, she taught recruits in the Hampton police department how to interact with and help the deaf. In 2009, she taught sign language to college students Christopher Newport.
In 2000, she began providing animal-assisted therapy. Melanie has a fleet of shepherd dogs and these dogs provide comfort and joy to patients in hospitals, nursing homes, retirement homes and rehabilitation centers. Once a month, she helps students, ages 6 to 10 with reading difficulties, and special education students, through the Paws to Read program she created at the Hampton public library last year. 2003.
According to Melanie, children can hone their reading skills by reading to dogs because dogs don't make judgments. For years, Melanie and her dogs have been going to school and teaching students about puppies and the "good manners" children should have when interacting with them. They have also worked with the City of Hampton Sanitation Commission to teach children about caring for the environment. “I love sharing my dogs,” she said. The reward I get is seeing the joy dogs bring to others.” She also said: “When dogs enter the hospital room or school, smiles light up on everyone's faces – the patients, the students, the staff, the visitors. They smiled and came to pet the dogs. They feel cozy.”
“Faith brought me through life's trials”
Melanie begins each day by praying at breakfast time. She attended Sunday Masses by reading from a missal because she could not hear songs, prayers or sermons. She thanked God for the blessings she had received, including her husband Philip, her friends and her dogs. “In all my life, my faith has never wavered,” she says. We must believe that God has a plan for each of us. We can question it but it is still God's plan. I often ask God why am I deaf but if I wasn't deaf, I could have another life. I don't like being deaf but I've made a great life for myself despite that fact."