After all the glamour and glitz of last night’s Academy Awards, I’m going to tell you about someone you probably don’t know. She’s not a celebrity. Oh no, she’s more special than a celebrity.
April DeLoach is a mom, an educator and a wife. She has multiple friends because her personality draws people to her like a moth to a flame. I met her like many Mississippians meet: On the little league ball field. Her humor would light up the field at dusk. Her love for her family would warm everyone on a cool Spring night. April’s life was just like yours or mine until one fateful day she noticed bruises. Bruises that would not heal.
Bruises caused leukemia.
She is young. I don’t give out ladies’ ages but I will say she is much younger than I am. Cancer struck her during the prime of her life.
It’s not fair. But cancer never is.
Her ability to write brought her struggles and triumphs to all her friends who followed her on Facebook. We’d cheer. We’d fear. But mainly we prayed. And prayed a lot. Life was a roller coaster for her and her family. And we were in the car with her.
We prayed for her to get well. For her doctors’ to find a cure. For a stem-cell match. For safe operations. For strength for her amazing husband Trey. Trey and April have two great kids. It’s not fair for a kid to have to face what they have.
As I write this, she’s facing grave odds. Her soul is strong but her body is tired. She’s on the cusp of eternal glory.
It’s not fair. But cancer never is.
April is one of my cancer heroes. She lived. Really lived. She loved her family and practiced her faith. And inspired us all in the processes.
April is the month when the world springs back to life. So on this cold, gray Monday, may we honor April DeLoach by springing back to life and truly living, too.
Note: April Heath DeLoach passed away at 4:42 a.m. on March 4, 2013. She courageously battled leukemia and the side effects of the stem cell transplant with heart and faith and was an inspiration to us all. God bless her and her family.
Beautifully written! Thank you Marshall. I type with tears running down my cheeks.
We are all so sad….
April has been so strong throughout all of this. Have had her on our church prayer list for months, she has remained strong to keep Trey and the children strong, she is one awesome lady, she works for the same school system as my daughter so everyone knows everyone. When I got Trey’s email last night, I cried, I could almost hear the hurt in his text. God will receive a beautiful angel soon.
I’ve written this response a hundred times over the past two nights. There’s just too much to say. I’ll stick to, “Thank you, Ape,” and “I (and so many others) love you, Trey, and your precious children.”
Thank you for this precious article! I used to go to church with April. Always full of life!
Great tribute to April! We need to be reminded what a gift every day is! Let’s all honor April by “springing back” to life and making every day better for someone else! Praying for God’s grace and peace to April and her family.
Beautifully written for a beautiful soul:)
What a wonderful and fitting tribute about our special friend who’s touched more lives than anyone can count! God has definitely been honored & glorified through this family!
Prayers sent out to the family and friends.
I never met April, but I have followed her journey on Facebook through the Team April DeLoach page. My family has prayed for hers and we have cried and rejoiced with their ups and their downs. Our hearts are breaking with the latest news, but our prayers are steadfast! Thank you for a beautiful tribute to April and her family and their incredibly hard journey.
What a beautiful tribute to April..My heart is so heavy this morning..
Thank you, Marshall. Your words echo the hearts of many who followed her facebook journey. I wish I could have known her. I continue to pray for her wonderful, faithful,loving husband and their precious children. April will live on in the hearts of many.
I do not know April personally but know her in-laws, Walter and Judy. I have followed on Facebook and continue to be amazed and strengthened from her posts. I continue to pray for her and family members. Only The Lord knows how many lives she has touched in a positive manner.
To my knowledge I don’t recall meeting April but I have many friends who know her personally. I know her sister. Maggie. I was among a group of ladies who were discussing the DeLoach’s last night in our Bible Study. Marshall thank you for honoring her in this way. She has touched more lives than she will ever know and I have not doubt when she meets Jesus one day he will say “Well done my faithful servant.” In the meantime my prayers are again lifting this family as your posted reminded me of how precious our lives are.
I don’t personally know April but have followed her on Facebook. I have been a prayer warrior for her daily. So sad for her family and praying for comfort and strength from the One and only God, our Father in heaven.
Beautiful words for a beautiful person!
Thanks for the beautifully written words. I worked with April in the Madison School District on a few projects, didn’t know her that well, but have been so amazed at her courage and strength through her fight with this horrible disease. What a legacy she leaves her children. Her children will treasure her FB posts.
What a beautiful tribute. My children and I pray for this dear lady and her family every night, yet, we’ve never met her. She’s an inspiration to all of us. As Luke Bryan sings in one of his songs, “Sometimes the greater plan is kinda hard to understand- and right now it don’t make sense….”
I don’t personally know April or her family but I have been following on Facebook and praying for her. This breaks my heart but I’m still praying. May God provide exceedingly more than we can ask or think for April and her precious family – peace, strength and comfort.
I have never met April (my sister-in-law is a friend of April’s sister), but I, too, have followed her FB comments for several months and been blessed by her testimony. Many of my friends in Alabama have kept up with her and prayed for her…what a powerful witness she has been for the Lord during the days of her illness! Praying now even more for Trey and the children to feel God’s comfort and peace. Thank you, Mr. Ramsey, for the beautiful tribute to a beautiful life!
Well said.
Bring on the spring. Amen.
What a beautiful tribute. April was a beautiful woman, inside and out. She made such an impact on me through Junior Auxiliary and after through her amazing words while dealing with this horrible battle of this unfair disease. She was such an inspiration, such a gift from God! I pray for all of April’s amazing family and friends who have stood by her side throughout this time their lives. I am so proud to say that I knew her and was very moved by her story and her gift to be able to share her experiences. I wish we had not moved away so that I could have gone and visited with her and gotten to know her more. I pray for comfort for all of you, especially Trey and her children. I will keep you all in my prayers. May God hold you all in the palm of his hand.
I, personally, have never met April, but my children know her. I have heard wonderful things about April and her faith/strength to fight this battle! April’s faith was evident, as I followed Facebook! I lift her up to the Lord; pray that her transition by accepted by God!
My heart and my prayers go out to the family, and all she loved. April is a force of faith to be reckoned! I felt her passion as I followed her posts on Facebook. To Trey, I say, God be with you! You fought a great battle, never once did you fail in your support! Keep the faith!
Thank you for this beautiful account of this precious friend!
The Deloach family are a wonderful Christian family and my heart pours out to them.
I met this family when I went to UMMC for my own bone marrow transplant in September. Trey and April had already been there for a few weeks when I came in. The first time I met Trey was in he kitchen where he was preparing a meal for April like my wife did for me. He had been there just long enough to be familiar with everything and everyone recognized him. That’s what you get when you’e on this hospital floor because there are only 12 rooms. I was excited to hear of their “escape” from the hospital when April was able to leave for home. After that we met several times on clinic day while waiting for our appointments. Though April still seemed sick, she didn’t complain, but bragged about Trey and his Mr Mom talents. It breaks my heart to see anyone go through what April is going through, but her faith is beyond inspirational. We are going to have a Light the Night Walk in Starkville this fall so we can help spread the word on the fight against leukemia in North Mississippi. Thank you Mr Ramsey for these words and may God Bless each of you as He hears your prayers for April.
Rest peacefully now, April. Spend your time watching your children grow. Many prayed for you and your family. I am happy you are no longer in pain but sad that your family and friends will miss your loving spirit. I never met you, but wish I had. You have left a legacy for your children. They will cherish this. Be their guardian angel now.
Thank you, Marshall, for your lovely words. I know they will be meaningful to April’s family.
Rest peacefully now April. I did not know you but prayed for you. I am glad your pain has ended.
Lovely words, Marshall. I know these words from you will be meaningful to April’s family.
Those were amazing words!! I did not know April personally but I did thru her FB posts. I prayed for her. So many of us were moved by her words. You described most of our feelings beautifully. Thank you!
Thank you for this tribute to April
The Heath family has always been an important family to me. I had two of the girls on my dance team and in class when I taught in Madison County Schools. They are precious to me. This is a beautiful tribute to her and her family. Many prayers for all. May God wrap his arms around each family member and comfort them.
I didn’t have the honor of knowing April but I know her mother-in-law, Judy, who like the rest of the family fought the battle daily with April. I know Judy’s St Joe family shares in the sadness of April’s passing but celebrates in the knowledge that she rests in Heaven’s peace with the other angels.
Trey and children,
Your testimony in the community throughout April’s illness has meant a great deal for the growth of God’s Kingdom. And what a legacy April leaves! Pointing people toward Jesus is the greatest gift any person can give to the world. Well done!!
Our family will continue to lift each of you in prayer in the coming days.
Mary & Lee Miller and children
Beautifully written. April would be proud.
My heart is just broken for this family in the loss of April, but I rejoice that she is no longer in pain – perfect and whole and in the presence of God. Thank you for expressing such a beautiful to this family. I have followed April’s journey on her Facebook page and was always amazed at the emotional strength she never seemed to lose. Christ’s peace is my wish for this family. Those of us who have prayed for April will hopefully continue to pray for this family as they transition to life without their beloved. Thanks, Marshall…..