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…