CFISD employee to guide blind runner during Chevron Houston Marathon

Anthony Melton, right, CFISD technology services software analyst, will guide blind athlete Kellie Dewveall, left, as she runs her first full marathon at the Chevron Houston Marathon on Jan. 19.  

When technology services team member Anthony Melton embarks from the starting line of the Chevron Houston Marathon on Jan. 19, he won’t be alone. While he runs his ninth marathon, Melton will simultaneously be acting as the eyes for a blind runner participating in her first 26.2-mile race.

While running in Memorial Park last fall, Melton came across a friend who was guiding another blind runner. Upon his return, his friend invited him to run with EyeCan Alliance to learn more about the process, and met Kellie Dewveall. Kellie was born blind, and had made it her goal for 33 years to run a full marathon.

“Life, family, obstacles and injuries got in the way to prevent her from accomplishing this goal,” Melton said. “She and the team asked me to be her guide, and I accepted. I put my races and goals to the side.”

Dewveall is the only blind athlete slated to compete in the full marathon on Jan. 19; the other blind participants are running in the half marathon race.

Melton guided Dewveall for their first race together, the Sugar Land Turkey Trot 5-mile race, on Nov. 28, and they most recently completed the Fort Bend Kia 30K on Dec. 15 with fellow guide Jaylyn Skinner.

Anthony Melton, left, and fellow EyeCan Alliance guide Jaylyn Skinner, right, will guide blind runner Kellie Dewveall to her first Chevron Houston Marathon on Jan. 17.

Prior to the partnership with EyeCan Alliance, Melton had completed the New York City Marathon on Nov. 3, 2019, running in a time of 4 hours, 4 minutes as a part of Team In Training for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). He ran in honor of his son’s classmate, Audrey, who was diagnosed with leukemia at age 8, as well as his longtime friend, William Riley, who passed away from leukemia in 2019.

Melton raised more than $6,300 for the LLS in 2019, contributing to Team In Training’s $1.2 million annual total.

"This journey of fitness has gone from being a personal goal to cancer awareness, fundraising and finding a way to give back," Melton said. "It’s so rewarding knowing that I’m able to give what I learned in eight years to others. 

"Knowing that Kellie will cross that finish line at Chevron is the best medal ever. I cannot wait to hug and cry with her. I will never forget this. I will continue helping those who want to achieve their goals."

Track Melton and Dewveall on race day by visiting the Chevron Houston Marathon website or using the mobile app.

Employee uses family, health motivations to run for a cause

Technology services employee Anthony Melton runs in the 2015 Chevron Houston Marathon while wearing a shirt with the name “Colton” on it. Melton finished the marathon in honor of his cousin’s nephew, Colton, who was diagnosed with leukemia in 2014.

By Joel Weckerly

At 3:30 in the morning, the streets of Sugar Land are mostly quiet. The occasional car will zip past technology services employee Anthony Melton, whose dark-morning runs have become routine. No music guides him through the miles of sidewalk; only the rhythm of his feet against pavement and thoughts of loved ones.

“No headphones,” Melton said. “I just think about my family, my kids, and the person I’m running for.”

Melton, who took up running a few years ago as a way to stay healthy and keep up with his kids, ran the 2014 Chevron Houston Marathon as a personal goal. As he set out to run the 2015 marathon with a cause in mind, one fell into his lap. His cousin’s nephew, Colton, was diagnosed with leukemia in the summer of 2014, and Melton joined Team in Training to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).

The battle that 2-year-old Colton waged provided additional motivation for Melton, who would follow updates on his family’s website.

“It gave me an extra boost,” Melton said. “This kid, he’s fighting. Not only him, but other individuals with that disease. If they can do that, why can’t I get up at 3:30, 4 in the morning and just run?

Melton set an LLS fund raising goal of $1,600, and shattered the mark with a total of $3,600 raised for the cause. Several of his technology co-workers supported the effort, and two of them—Jamay Johnson and Connie Butcher—even attended the race to cheer on their team member.

With Colton and his two sons (5 ½ and 1 ½ years old, respectively) on his mind throughout the 26.2 miles, Melton improved his time by 12 minutes from 2014.

“Every time I finish a race like that, I tear up because I think about my kids,” he said. “The way I see it, every time I run, it makes me healthier to be around long for them. When I start the race I make a little video basically talking to my kids, explaining ‘This is why daddy’s doing this.’”

Melton has even inspired co-workers to join him in being active. One of them, Austen Chang, is training to run a triathlon with Melton in October. The officemates just completed a 10-mile run on Aug. 9 to prepare. 

Anthony Melton is joined by instructional technology employees Jamay Johnson, left, and Connie Butcher, who supported him during his Chevron Houston Marathon performance.

 

Fellow employees who have either run with Melton or attended one of his races include Frankie Jackson, Larry Barrios, Paula Ross, Jay Johnson, Derly Buentello, Kenneth Gibson, Michelle Campos, Amanda Medau, Cassandra Behr and Richard Kurtz.

The 41-year-old Melton has already established fund raising and time goals for the 2016 Chevron Houston Marathon, but the cause he is running for will be slightly different this time around.

“I will still be running for Colton,” he said, “but I’ll be running for him as a survivor. He still has to go in and get checkups, but as of this year, he has beaten leukemia.”

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For more information about Team In Training, visit www.teamintraining.org

To visit Anthony’s fund raiser page, visit: http://pages.teamintraining.org/txg/chvrnhou16/AMelton

Anthony Melton stops for a photo with his wife, children and friends including technology co-worker Larry Barrios, far right. Melton said he gets emotional every time he completes a race and thinks about his family.