Saving Lives

Melanie Brown-Culpepper-Beilke has spent her whole life in Polk County. At 17, she had her first child. By 19, she was in cosmetology school, and by 24, she owned her own salon. Raised by her grandmother, Granny Brown, Melanie kept the name “Brown” because it was so closely tied to who raised her and how the community knew her.

Melanie was engaged to Michael Culpepper, and the couple had planned to marry in May, but the pandemic delayed their wedding until October. “Michael Culpepper was just a big old teddy bear.” Melanie said that some even called him Superman. “He thought he was Superman. He’s been a security guard all over Winter Haven.” He was known for calming fights and mentoring others, and Melanie continued, “That’s how we started talking. How we actually fell in love at the time.”

THAT DAY

In July, salons reopened, and Melanie went back to work. One of those days, she had to bring her grandkids to work with her. “Culpepper wasn’t feeling good, and he had some heart issues, so I couldn’t leave them with him,” Melanie explained. Later that day, she couldn’t reach him by phone, he wasn’t picking up. Melanie continued, “I got home and I went through my back door. He was facedown and unresponsive. I didn’t know CPR, and I was trying to calm the grandbabies down. I was trying to save him. I called 911, and the first thing that the dispatcher asked me was, ‘Do you have a defibrillator?’” She remembered he had a vest defibrillator and ran upstairs, but it was gone. “He had just sent it back two days before, because it was uncomfortable for him to wear.” She rushed back downstairs. Paramedics arrived. “They already knew at the time, but I didn’t know. I thought that they were reviving him. I followed them to the hospital.” It was there, at the front door, she learned that there was nothing else to do for him.

At this point, Melanie felt like she just wanted to give up. And then the bills came. “I can’t pay all these, I can’t do this. I can’t go back to work, I didn’t want to, and I wasn’t ready to. I actually walked to work for four months because I didn’t have a vehicle. It actually made me do some soul searching. It humbled me a lot,” Melanie said.

That’s when life wasn’t easy, Melanie continued, “I was not in a very good place at that time.” She later went through with the marriage ceremony by herself in honor of Culpepper. “During COVID I changed my name to Culpepper, so I had to go do all the legal stuff for that, and it wasn’t easy, but I was bound and determined to do that.”

After losing him, she didn’t think happiness was possible again. “I really honestly never thought I could find happiness again. The first six months, I didn’t leave my house, really, except for work. The second six months, I didn’t go home. Like I didn’t want to go home. It was just empty, quiet.”

“I decided about a year and a half later, okay, I’m not good for anybody.” And then she injured her rotator cuff.

“For seven months, I was out of work, and I thought once again, my God, you already took Culpepper, now you’re taking my only source of income. What are you trying to teach me? What is the lesson here? I don’t understand.”

Despite all this, Melanie stayed active in the community, serving on many local boards and committees. Even before Culpepper’s passing, she was known as “Downtown Mel on the Ground,” for her prolific philanthropy and involvement where needed.

I’M GONNA SAVE SOMEBODY’S LIFE BECAUSE I COULDN’T SAVE HIM.

“I wanted to know what I did wrong, why couldn’t I save him? And what stood out to me was the dispatcher asking, ‘Do you have a defibrillator?’” Melanie reached out to her friend Eric Shimcus, ironically the paramedic on the scene that fateful day, and her mission became clear.

Melanie began working to place AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) in as many public spaces as possible, restaurants, bars, sports fields, one on every corner. “I used to never go into a business and look for an AED. You just don’t do that, until it happens at your own back door.”

In February 2021, she launched Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation. Since then, she’s been an educator, raised funds, and hosted benefits. To date, she’s installed 69 AEDs, each costing around $1,500. She’s also become a passionate advocate for seatbelt safety and keeping a seatbelt cutter in your car. During her AED events, she educates people on not only using an AED, but also what to do when someone is choking, and learning to do CPR.

GOT YOUR SIX

One night, Melanie happened to see Brian Beilke performing on stage. They soon connected, and eventually married. “He said from the very beginning, ‘I will always defend you and protect you, and be right there by your side. I got your six.’”

It was at a fundraising event last November, when the band that was booked canceled last-minute. Brian stepped in with his musician friends, and the band, “Got Ur 6” was born.

“He’s (Brian) been the biggest blessing, and he’s right by my side. It’s good to have a partner and a team, and to find that happiness and love again. I didn’t think I could feel again, and so it’s been a good journey. And, you know, now I look back and my thoughts are way different than they were five years ago when I lost Culpepper. Now I know I have a purpose. I have reason,” Melanie continued, “I will have to say Heartland Church helped me a lot. In the very beginning, I was really lost and I didn’t know what to do. I will never forget that they were there for me when I was at rock bottom, you know.”

HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED

Every year in November, Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation hosts a major benefit at Tanner’s Lakeside. This year the event is on November 15. This is their biggest fundraiser and they also award three scholarships for careers in the medical, fire, and EMT fields. “Because they made such an impact in my life. What I saw them do. I’ve always respected first responders, but when you actually see what they do, I can’t even imagine what they go home and live with every day.”

There is a fundraiser scheduled at Bowen Yard on August 23 from noon – 6 p.m. to raise money for additional AEDs, learning CPR, and hoe to help when someone is choking. There will also be raffles, auctions, a bounce house, a performance by the Got Ur 6 Band, and more!

“You don’t get it until it happens at your own back door. In my case, it happened at my own back door. And so, I’m just out there to educate people. I always tell people it could be your friend, your family, or even you.”

Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation

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