New bridge opened in Benton County honors Sonny Melton

BENTON COUNTY, Tenn. — A local county came together to pay tribute to one of their own, following a tragedy that affected families across the country in West Tennessee.

“I’ll probably go on this road a little more than I did before,” said Heather Melton, the wife of Sonny Melton.

It’s a new bridge drivers in Benton County will cross and see the name of Sonny Melton, while loved ones of Melton who cross this bridge cross back to memories of the past.

He died two years ago when a shooter gunned down 58 people and injured 800 during a Las Vegas Music Festival in 2017.

Sonny and Heather were at the festival that night.

“He saved my life that night when he wrapped his arms around me, and I felt him get shot. He saved my life, and if he hadn’t done that, you know, I might not be here either,” Heather said.

Heather said two years later, life is still hard without her husband.

“I think it’s something you never really get over, especially the way he was taken from us, you just kind of learn to live with it,” she said.

But with the Benton County community coming together to show their support, Heather said it makes life a little easier.

“Scott Hollowell came to me and he said, ‘You know, listen, what do you think about dedicating this bridge to Sonny Melton?’ and I said, ‘I think it’s a great idea,” said Buck Carter, Highway Superintendent for Benton County.

“They’re not going to forget him ever, and now it’s immortalized on the bridge, so I’m very proud of the person he was,” Heather said.

“Seeing your son’s name on something like this, it brings back a flood of emotions,” said Sonny Melton’s mother, Susan.

“Ask anybody in this crowd that knew Sonny, and he would come back to life in their mind as a guy with a big smile,” said Sonny Melton’s father, James.

“He is a hero, and I feel like he was the kind of person who did that for me but he would do it for other people, too,” Heather said.

“He really was; he was a true hero,” Susan said.

The Sonny Melton Memorial Bridge took three months to build at a cost of a little less than $1 million.

The bridge is located on Lower Big Sandy Road in Benton County.