Mom spotlight: April Mills

What makes a person a hero? It’s easy to list the soldier who lays his or her life on the line to save a nation of strangers or a doctor who finds the sneaky cause behind that gnawing, agonizing pain. But what about the neighbor in Chapel Hill who provides breakfast to a hungry child?

That last one describes April Mills.

She’s going to be mad at me for writing this, but no one deserves the title of “Hometown Hero” more. And I’m not alone in holding that belief.

April has a knack for making a stranger a friend. She’s cautious, yet bold. She’s a servant and a participatory leader. She is practical and strategic. She is someone who is truly a text or a call away, springing into action without a moment of hesitation. April is the person who just gets stuff done.

As Jill Bradley Berman put it, “April is the most helpful person on the planet! From getting neighbor’s garbage cans out at the last minute on an early Friday morning, to being active on our HOA, April puts in the work to make every day better for every person she comes in contact with.”

MariLouise Harrow has seen one of the true shining strengths of April: connecting people.

From linking a kid who needs a dog walking gig with a family who needs someone to check on Fido, to connecting an older gentleman who could use a good excuse to get out of the house with someone who desperately needs a handyman, “April is the ultimate connector of people and resources,” shared Harrow.

And she’s not kidding. Haley Wamble has known April for nearly a decade.

“Every morning during the school year, she helps a single, working mother by bringing this person's kids into her home, feeding them and then making sure they get on the school bus,” said Wamble.

Shana Overdorf met April years ago at a work event. She describes her as the kind of person who asks a question and listens to the response.

“She supported me,” said Overdorf. “After listening to my idea and proposing a solution to address homelessness in Raleigh, April helped me troubleshoot. As a result, we were able to obtain support and funding for what is now, ‘Oak City Cares,’ a multi service center for those experiencing housing and food insecurity.”

The list of examples goes on and on and on.

“If you tell April you need your house power washed, she will very well be outside power washing your house the next day,” said Wamble. “April is that friend that everyone needs on their side.”

April has been that way since high school.

I don’t remember the day we met, but it was at the beginning of our sophomore year in (gasp) 1995. We were both the new kids in our Texas high school and I was beyond blessed that God placed that outgoing redhead in my path. We’re opposites in many ways, but she has truly been the yin to my yang.

When I was worried about my grades, a boy or drill team try-outs, she was there– grabbing my arm and forcing me to twirl in the school bathroom until my tears over one of those things turned into laughter. She even busted into my parents room one night after I had been boiled over in pain at her house. To fully understand the weight of her devotion, please picture a bubbly redhead busting into the bedroom of my Black parents about an hour past my curfew. She did that for me and my parents are grateful for her- as am I. Her support and encouragement helped me live through those difficult years and the ones I didn’t want to survive, like when I became a young widow in 2016.

April was there. She wiped my tears, brought me more wine, and made me laugh. She also held my hand and helped me launch an entrepreneurial prize at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business in Rasheed’s name, an ear to scream to, and a brain to help me think through ways to pursue hit and run legislation in Florida, which is where he died and I tried to catch the drivers who fled the scene after committing an unthinkable act.

April Mills deserves this recognition. She’s barely on social media – though she’s one of the savviest businesswomen I know. She rarely touts her achievements– even though she should. So for that, in a world full of “look at me” and “let me say it louder,” we should shout about the one plotting and planning and offering solutions to some of the heaviest worries on the minds of others.

April Mills is a hero.

She’s a selfless, take-charge woman, who gets stuff done and can do it with a smile that’ll make you giggle. She’s helped me and countless others figure out how to keep going.

As if that wasn’t enough, her pre-teen daughter even acknowledged how special her mom is, saying “she always puts everyone else first and makes sure others are happy, safe and everything’s fair,” Georgie said. “It’s a win-win.”

I'm blessed to write this story about this thoughtful woman. I was also blessed to surprise her with the idea of it last week. When asked why she does what she does, her response was simple:

"I have learned over time that I have high emotional intelligence," said Mills. "I can feel or anticipate things sooner, I am quick to embrace change, and I want to make others happy. I believe in 'what goes around, comes around.' I've been fortunate to have some incredible friends in my life. Why not share that love with others?"

Kimberly Holmes-Iverson is the vice president at the R.W. Jones Agency. She brings more than 15 years of award-winning journalism experience to her daily work. She's also a college adjunct at North Carolina State University. Kimberly is a proud Blue Devil, graduating from Duke University and Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. She lives in Raleigh with her husband, daughter and their dog.