April T. Bocian - Memorial foundation-

April Tayler Bocian was born on April 28, 1998 at Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her beauty attracted attention even at one day old, when the hospital selected April to participate in an advertising campaign for their school of nursing. Her picture appeared on billboards and buses throughout the tri-state region, and that was only the beginning. 

As April grew older, her outer and inner beauty evolved and shined. Her friendly smile drew attention to her stunning red hair and her love of fashion, however it was her inner beauty that truly made April exceptional. At school, April's keen sense of compassion was clearly seen as she took new students under her wing. She developed a circle of friends who admired her sense of humor, her fun-loving nature, and her empathy for the underdog, the lonely, the forgotten, and the sad. She made everyone feel accepted and appreciated. April was humble and not the type to talk about herself. Her family, friends, and teammates have countless memories of how April made them laugh and brightened their day, whether she was clowning around with basketball friends, playing practical jokes on her sisters, or spending time with her family. 

April's love for the beach blossomed during family vacations to Erie and North Carolina. She dreamed of traveling, especially to California, and looked forward to upcoming trips with her basketball team to events and tournaments around the country. 

April's future seemed unimaginably bright, but inside, she was struggling with the deep pain of depression and mental illness that she kept well-hidden from most of the world. On May 5, 2015 one week after her 17th birthday, April Bocian died by suicide. The world lost a beautiful, compassionate, intelligent, kind, and exceptional person who was a beloved sister, daughter, and friend.