Schools
Mark Melkonian's One-Year Memorial
Mark Melkonian, who died a year ago from prescription drugs, was honored last week at Dana Hills High School.
Mark Melkonian should have been getting ready for senior prom right now, enjoying the last couple of weeks of his senior year. This should have been one of the greatest times of his life: 18 years old, a high school senior looking forward to graduation, college and making his own life. Instead, Wednesday’s memorial marked the one-year anniversary of Melkonian's death from a prescription drug overdose at age 17.
More than 100 people crowded under the tarps overlooking the football field at to pay their respects to Melkonian and his family and to dedicate the tree that was planted in his honor. With the background of a soothing harp, Sylvia Melkonian and Vernon Porter, another local parent who lost a daughter, Vanessa, to drugs, delivered a speech in Melkonian's honor. Although the parents recognized the difficulty of addressing Melkonian's death, Porter emphasized that “it is very important … to talk about the hard things in Mark’s memory.”
The ceremony concluded with emotional speeches from Melkonian's friends and two aunts. Most of those in attendance dabbed their eyes as they listened to Porter and Sylvia Melkonian’s simple message: “Until we start talking about these things and address them head on, nothing’s going to happen. Dysfunction does not heal itself. ”
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Sylvia Melkonian also reminded everyone in the audience to “keep a friend, not a secret,” referring to her belief that whatever the consequences, it is worth enduring to save someone’s life. She has started a foundation in her son's honor, Make a Mark, and she continues to work with other local area moms who have lost their kids to promote awareness of the epidemic. Some of those parents, such as Liz Streton, Laurie Smith and were present to show their support and love for the Melkonian family.
After the ceremony, those in attendance lined up to sprinkle a packet of rosemary onto the ceremonial tree. Many took their time to kneel in front of the tree to say a quick word, and many others wrote messages to Melkonian on balloons that were to be released. The tree overlooks the football field that Melkonian used to play on.
