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Melisa Zachrich grew up in Deshler, Ohio, a small farming community where she and her sister shared a typical Midwest upbringing in the 70s. After graduating high school, she served 9 years in the Air Force, specializing in electronic intelligence. With hard work and disciplined savings, Melisa and her husband Bill retired at the age of 55. Months of research and due diligence brought them to Panama, where they lived the adventurous life of ex-patriots. In 2022, while on a vacation with fellow ex-pats, Melisa was involved in a plane crash over the Pacific that took the lives of two close friends. There was no returning to the idyllic life she and Bill had created in their beautiful beach community. She returned to her familiar roots in Ohio to battle the effects of PTSD and heal from loss and trauma. Melisa reconnected with her former employer, Marathon Petroleum, where she finds solace in her work as a Lead Product Owner. Melisa is also currently on the speaker circuit, raising awareness about PTSD and emphasizing the importance of preparedness to survive when an unexpected tragedy occurs. Her story epitomizes resilience, fortitude, and the profound impact of community support in overcoming life's most formidable challenges.
Her mother called her a “strong girl,” and Melisa earned that identity throughout her childhood, up to and beyond surviving a plane crash that took the lives of two close friends. Melisa fought to climb out of an ocean coffin and survive under horrendous conditions. She couldn’t save her friends Deb and Sue, but she could save herself and Deb’s husband Tony by using the breadth of her physical strength and her military training. Tony (even as he grieved) encouraged her to call upon all her reserves, mentally, emotionally, and physically, until the rescue team arrived. Melisa went from retirement living in a beach community, a life that was safe, idyllic, and filled with friends, to navigating her new normal that left her a prisoner of her own home. She discovered a new kind of strength as she maneuvered the complex difficulties of PTSD. The beautiful beaches, friends' laughter, and Panama's tropical paradise were distant echoes in her memory. Her new life focuses on recovery, surrounded by the love of family and friends. Could more have been done to save her friends? Was it pilot error or a tragic accident? Should she have trusted her gut before the flight? Does it matter in the face of death? These and many more questions plagued Melisa after that horrific day. Melisa shares her inspiring story of strength, courage, faith, and love to heal herself and others and perhaps demystify PTSD, a syndrome not limited to military vets.
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