A woman in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is currently under fire after she wished for Iran to capture the missing U.S. service member and use him as leverage in the ongoing conflict with the United States. She has since been identified and has deleted all her socials.
The woman’s reported name is Melissa Halverson, and she originally posted her clip under the username mellymama5. Given the backlash, however, she has deleted her account. Still, other content creators, such as Amy Lou Out Loud, reposted the video, garnering 422,700 views, 72,400 likes, and 4,603 comments.
Melissa posted her clip while a U.S. service member went missing after his jet was shot down in Iran. The service member has since been rescued by the United States military.
She asked, at the time, “When you’re at war with somebody, guess what that other country does? Exactly what they’ve been doing through history all this time, right? You take them hostage, and you use them for leverage.”
The Michigan woman, while laughing, added in her clip that Iran put a “bounty” on the service member’s head. She then hoped for the person who would find the service member to be “very poor” and “ends up being very wealthy.”
“I hope Iran holds their promise,” Melissa said.
A Military Mom Responds
The clip drew backlash almost immediately. Amy Lou, who is a military mom, blasted her in her clip, calling her out for sleeping “under the blanket of freedom” that service men like her son provided. Then, she said Melissa was heading to hell.
Online users then found out that the Michigan woman was apparently working at the Green Apple Pantry nonprofit in Grand Rapids. They have since released a statement, calling Melissa a “former employee” and saying that her posts do not reflect their “beliefs, principles, or mission.” It is unclear whether she was fired or left the nonprofit before her clip went viral.
“We have zero tolerance for hateful or discriminatory behavior in any form,” the statement continued. “We remain dedicated to serving our community with integrity, respect, and care, and we appreciate your continued support and trust.”
Locals Share Unrelenting Criticism
Melissa’s clip and Amy Lou’s response sparked multiple responses.
Some viewers supported the military mom and thanked her for her son’s service. One user wrote, “I pray for the safety of your son.” Another one commented, “Please, know most Americans are very grateful for your son and your family!“
Other users went after Melissa. One user said, “She’s a traitor and a coward.” Another one wrote, “Nobody should trust her for future employment.”
The U.S. military member going missing in Iran was covered pretty extensively across traditional and social media. It is safe to say that this contributed to the outrage sparked by the Michigan woman’s clip, leading to its virality and the account’s ultimate deletion.
For the time being, it appears that Melissa has not reappeared online.
