HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — I first walked through the doors of ABC13 in 1978 as an intern. My first time on the air was a mistake. I had gone out and shadowed a reporter and asked if I could ask some questions and get some information.
He said, “Sure,” and I came back and wrote up the story, got it edited, and handed it in. The producer put it on TV without anyone asking much of anything.
The news director was screaming down the hall at me when he saw my reporting on the air. He wasn’t happy, but he said the story wasn’t too bad, and he let me stick around.
I took a detour to law school and enjoyed a short stint practicing law, but the spark I felt each day at KTRK couldn’t be replicated. The light I felt wasn’t in a law office, it was telling stories – stories about the things that mattered to you and your families.
And now, a few short years later, that light still shines bright for the important work we do here each and every day.
It’s time to share that light in a different way, as I focus on my family and my next chapter. I’ll step away from the anchor desk and my time here at the end of January.
Being here at ABC13 is a path I have not walked alone. My wonderful partner in life, John, has been a rock for whom I am eternally grateful. He’s been through my ups and downs – spoke his mind the whole time – but been there nonetheless.
My father and mother, whose incredible love story is to be admired and cherished is an inspiration to love and perseverance.
And of course, my entire family who have been along for this wild ride that we call television news.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have a front-row seat to history in ways I never could have imagined. That bright-eyed, eager, curious intern never knew she would get to interview presidents and politicians and people who had more influence and sway than I sometimes realized.
I’ve had the privilege of telling your stories, the tragedies and triumphs, the stories that have shaped the very fabric of who we are here in Houston. The light that shines from me – to tell your stories, right the wrongs, and hold people accountable shines on here at ABC13.
There’s so much in our future, my friends, as Houston grows and we thrive together. I hope that I’ve been able to inspire you, as my friends, and I hope I’ve been able to inspire a young generation of journalists and storytellers that the world is not quite as big as it may seem. That sometimes, you do the work, you hand it in, and they just might put it on TV.
The bad news – you’re stuck with me a little longer here, so don’t call dibs on my desk just yet.
A note from ABC13:
Please join us in celebrating Melanie as we look back at her unmatched career. After the holidays, we’re calling January “The Month of Mel” with special surprises for her each day.
Copyright © 2025 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.
