What’s Your Story? Monroe woman pushes forward after house fire
As bleak as things often appear, April believes her voice can help others with disabilities, and her New Year’s resolution is to serve other disabled citizens.
MONROE, La. (KNOE) - One Northeast Louisiana resident is down on her luck after losing everything in a New Year’s Eve house fire, but she refuses to hold a pity party.
Even though her life has been reduced to essentials, April is still looking for ways to help others.
Joe Wade has spent 42 years as a mechanic, but there’s a new title he holds dear to his heart: “I think I am her angel, but it makes me feel good.”
“Can you imagine if he wasn’t there that day,” April reminisced. “I would have died that day.”
On Dec. 31, 2025, Joe raced into April’s bedroom as a fire engulfed her Monroe home.
He found April in her bedroom near the patio. “He ended up dragging me out of the house by my arms.”
Joe says, “it was scary, she nearly burnt up, I barely got out.”
“I was supposed to die that day, there are no ifs ands or butts about it,” April says. “We were blessed to get out.”
April is now recovering from second degree burns to her arms, chest and stomach. “I got burned on the side and inhaled a lot of smoke, they had to fly me to Mississippi.”
This is just the newest obstacle in April’s 40-year-old life.
April says, “I was born with spastic Cerebral Palsy, which caused me to have a brain injury.”
For the past 33 years, Joe has been April’s caretaker, father figure and protector.
April says he has been her guardian angel.
As investigators try to determine the cause of the fire, April pushes forward.
“Even when things look dire, I try to find something the size of a mustard seed that is positive,” April says.
April is hopeful that her non-profit organization, Disabled Crusaders will blossom in 2026. She says her main focus is to help as many people as she can.
As bleak as things often appear, April believes her voice can help others with disabilities, and her New Year’s resolution is to serve other disabled citizens.
April says she hopes “to help others get off government assistance and take care of themselves.
A new year will feature a new address for April. While her losses have been substantial, April says her daily wins will carry her through 2026.
April says she looks at it as, what she lost in mementos she carries with her in her heart.
For more information on April’s non-profit, visit disabledcrusaders.com.
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