Published July 24, 2020
By JENNIFER GENTILE
MELROSE—Melrose High senior graduate William Pesce is the first-ever William Forbes Scholarship recipient, earning a $5,000 scholarship for college this fall at Westfield State University.
The football All-Star was a Super Bowl hero on Dec. 7 when he helped cement Melrose’s 28-13 state title victory over Plymouth South with a pick-six. But, that’s not why he was chosen by the Forbes Foundation, rather it was his persuasive essay about being a member of a military family and the indelible impact a departed loved one had in his life. Billy’s father, William F. Pesce, passed away on January 20, 2019 at the age of 61 after a battle with cancer. Mr. Pesce was less than a year away from witnessing Melrose’s Cinderella season when they finished the only unbeaten team in Massachusetts.
Mr. Pesce was the inspiration for young Billy’s winning essay. The husband of Alyssa and father of Billy, 18, Taylor, 16, and Braden, 12, Mr. Pesce served his country in the Air Force and worked for 25 years for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and Metropolitan District Commission. The eligibility criteria for this scholarship includes being an active participant of the Melrose Veteran’s Memory Project and a member of a military family.
According to Foundation head Scott Forbes, a longtime Melrose Alderman up until this year, Pesce was a natural choice. “It was a unanimous choice. We all loved his essay. His words and his dedication to his own father’s memory and the city of Melrose reminded us so much of our Dad.”
The Scholarship is named in honor of a Melrose hero, William Forbes, who served Melrose as the Ward 7 Alderman from 2003-2013 and for his country in the Army during the Vietnam War. He also helped spearhead the Melrose Veterans Advisory Board and the Melrose Veterans Memory Project and served as President of the Disabled & Limbless Veteran’s Organization.
He passed away in 2016 at the age of 68.