Melissa Malone-Soutuyo is currently reigning as the first ever United States of America’s Mrs. Maine 2021. She resides in her hometown of Portland, Maine, with her husband of 19 years, Angel, and their teenage son, Lucas. Melissa and her family are heavily involved in their community’s youth sports, which is what led Melissa to write and publish her first book. Lucas sustained a serious concussion during a hockey game, which led to a 9-month recovery. During that time, Melissa and her family struggled to find resources for Lucas, to help him with his recovery. This inspired Melissa to write “Lucas’s Story: Our Family’s Journey Through Youth Concussion Recovery”, available on Amazon. It is a narrative from a mother’s perspective as well as a resource that educates on concussion awareness and the importance of managing concussions properly. Melissa says, “If I can help even one child get the proper treatment to be able to recover, it will be a win.”
Melissa spends her time volunteering Reiki healing services in addiction recovery facilities. Her family has been impacted numerous times by addiction and she feels strongly about the compassion needed to help this community heal and beat addiction.
Melissa currently works full-time in the biotech industry, working with patients and health care providers in the multiple sclerosis community. She runs her own part-time business, Melissa Malone Lifestyle, where she works with women on important topics such as self-esteem, healthy living, goal setting and empowerment. She has authored an internet program, titled “Love Yourself and the World Will Love You Back”. She says it is a practical guide to help people to get the Law of Attraction working in their own lives.
WHY DO YOU DO WHAT YOU DO?
“If you were a superhero, what would your power be?” Whenever I’ve been asked that question, for as long as I can remember, my answer has always remained the same. Healing. I’ve always had great compassion for those who are hurting, struggling or ill. As a child, I can vividly remember times of feeling helpless while watching others struggle. It’s why I’ve spent my entire adult life being driven by a passion to help and “heal” others. It’s why I chose my careers, first as an occupational therapist, working hands on with patients in the hospital and eventually the pharmaceutical and biotech industry, where I can collaborate with health care providers and patients to help find the best medical intervention and treatment options to promote disease healing.
I have a genuine love of connecting with people and being a listener. I think the value of genuine, empathetic listening must not be underestimated. It seems to me that so many people in the world struggle in silence, with their own personal challenges, every single day, often feeling alone or misunderstood. I may not have the answers to their problems or the ability to change their situations, but what I have is the ability to listen, with my heart.
This realization led me down the path of becoming a Reiki Master. Reiki is a hands-on healing modality, using energy from all that is good in the Universe, to help promote healing. I now practice Reiki regularly. I had no idea what a gift this path would be for me. Listening with my heart, praying together with my clients, and using Reiki to offer an intention and invitation of healing to others is an every-day miracle. I do not take even one healing session for granted.
Using my desire to help and heal others led me to create my website and part-time business, Melissa Malone Lifestyle. I work with people on important skills such as goal setting, self-esteem and empowerment. Using life coaching skills, nutrition counseling, my foundation as an occupational therapist, and Reiki healing, I help people navigate relationships, loss, adversity and many other of life’s challenges and opportunities. In 2016, I authored an internet program titled “Love Yourself and the World Will Love You Back”. It’s a practical, every day guide to getting the Law of Attraction working for you.
I am blessed and grateful to spend each day serving others, in a personal mission to “heal hearts and bodies” one personal connection at a time.
WHAT ARE SOME PROJECTS YOU ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON?
I am currently working to raise awareness about youth concussion, in order to help families recognize the signs and symptoms of concussion, as well as seek out proper treatment to ensure the best chance of complete and full recovery. After sustaining a serious concussion while playing hockey, my then 11 year-old son endured a 9 month recovery. If we’d been educated on the treatment options from the beginning, I believe his recovery would have taken less time. By the grace of God, he fully recovered and is still able to participate in all of his favorite activities. Our experience inspired me to write and publish my first book “Lucas’s Story: Our Family’s Journey Through Youth Concussion Recovery. It is a resource for families to learn about the serious nature of youth concussion, as well as become educated on identifying and managing youth concussion. I love speaking to parent’s groups, universities, health enthusiasts, schools and any group that will listen regarding “Lucas’s Story” in an effort to preserve our children’s brains after concussion.
GOALS FOR THE SHORT-TERM:
My goals for the next year include completing life coach certification classes through the Transformation Academy as well as being on the Dr. Oz show to discuss youth concussion awareness and healing.
GOALS FOR THE LONG TERM:
In the next 5 years, I plan to publish the book I am currently writing about every-day miracles. I’m currently compiling stories and my hope is that it will help people everywhere gain or maintain their faith in God and in the goodness of every-day people. Keep your eyes and your heart open. You never know when God is speaking to you through every-day angels.
I would also like to eventually direct a pageant, in my home state of Maine, utilizing my personal experiences in pageantry, interview and public speaking skills, life coaching skills, dance and stage production experience, in order to provide women more opportunities to be empowered and let the best versions of themselves shine for the world to see.
WHO OR WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
People who thrive in the face of adversity and use those life experiences to help make the world a better place inspire me. People such as Travis Roy, who recently passed away, inspire me profoundly. Travis was an incredible man, from my own community, who suffered a spinal cord injury, during his first collegiate hockey game. He spent the remainder of his life as a quadriplegic. He not only maintained his positive outlook on life, but he did so much for the spinal cord injury community, carrying out his days with a passion to help others in that community. His life’s work is an incredible testament to who he was as a man, and also to the passion that can be found inside all of us, when we are inspired to do good for others.
WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO ONCE YOU CROSS THE MILLIONAIRE MARK?
If I were a millionaire tomorrow, I wouldn’t change one thing about my life. I love what I do every day, from my full-time job to my part-time job. I adore the people with whom I work, the communities I serve, and I am completely fulfilled and happy with the quality of my life. The only thing I would add in is taking a little more time to travel. There are so many places in the world that I would like to visit and connecting with people in new places completely invigorates me.
