In the signature of Melisa Chioma Emeghebo Rousseau's email was a quote by cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead that read: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed individuals can change the world. In fact, it's the only thing that ever has."

According to her family, Rousseau's mission was to spearhead change and ensure she was "honoring the legacies of those who came before her and preserving their histories."

"Melisa was an original, that's the first thing that comes to mind," said her husband, Dr. Reginald Rousseau, a pain medicine physician and anesthesiologist. "Most people who met her did not forget her."

The Huntington resident died on Oct. 4 after complications from a brain aneurysm. She was 53.

Melisa Chioma Emeghebo Rousseau was born in Brooklyn on July 21, 1

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