Melvin Everson, a prominent Gwinnett County civic leader and former state representative, is hospitalized in critical condition following an emergency surgery after what appears to have been a stroke or a brain aneurysm.
According to family friends, Everson suffered the aneurysm overnight Monday and underwent emergency brain surgery to relieve pressure and address bleeding. According to social media posts from friends of the family, he is currently in a medically-induced coma on a respirator, with the next 48 hours considered critical.
Who Melvin Everson Is: Everson represented Georgia House District 106 from 2005 to 2011, making history as the first Black conservative to win a contested race to the Georgia General Assembly in 150 years. Before that, he served on the Snellville City Council, where colleagues elected him Mayor Pro Tem three consecutive years. He spent 23 years in the U.S. Army, serving both active duty and reserve duty.
In recent years, Everson has held leadership roles at Gwinnett Technical College, most recently serving as Vice President of Community and Government Affairs—a position he transitioned into just this month. Prior to that, he was Vice President of Economic Development at the college.
But his resume only tells part of the story. Everson is a chartered member and past president of the Snellville Optimist Club, served two terms as President and Vice President of the South Gwinnett High School PTSA, and currently serves as President of the Lilburn Cooperative Ministry. He serves as an Associate Pastor at Cross Pointe Church in Duluth and has been involved in faith-based community work for decades.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
