(Photo)

April Gladwin, 21

April Gladwin, age 21, of Herman, Nebraska passed away May 11th, 2017, in Omaha. Funeral services will be held Thursday, May 18, 2017, at 1:00 p.m. in the Blair Central School Gymnasium, 451 South 16th Street, Blair, NE. Visitation will be held prior to the service beginning at 12:00 p.m. Graveside services will follow in the Blair Cemetery.

April was born on May 21, 1995, in Watertown, South Dakota. She moved to Blair in 2001 to live with her father. April attended Blair Public School and graduated with the class of 2013. After high school, she gave birth to her first child, Jazmyn. She later welcomed her children Nikoli and Malaki into the family. April was an active in M.O.P.S., and was employed with Burger King in Blair. April will be remembered for her loving nature and sweet disposition.

She is survived by her fiancé, Austin Casey; children; Jazmyn Parr, Mikoli Watts and Malaki Casey, father, Paul (Christina) Gladwin; mother, Renee Ladd; brothers and sisters: Ashley Bain, Chris Bain, Chance Gladwin, Cheyenna Gladwin, Athalia Gladwin, Rydon Gladwin, Thoryn Gladwin, Rowyn Gladwin, Solyn Gladwin and Auryn Gladwin.

April's last gift to the world was her selfless donation as an organ donor.

Published in the Enterprise 12 May 2017

Herma woman critical after rollover crash

written by Leeanna Ellis

(Photos)

A Herman woman critically injured in a one-vehicle rollover crash on County Road P43 south of Fort Calhoun on May 9 has died.

April Gladwin, 21, her three children and the driver, Austin D. Casey, 24, of Herman were injured after a wasp flew into the vehicle, causing Casey to lose control of the 1999 Dodge Dakota pickup truck. Casey and Gladwin were attempting to swat the insect when the crash occurred. Gladwin was allergic to wasps.

The distraction caused the truck to leave the right side of the road. Casey overcorrected, causing the vehicle to slide across the road before rolling in the west ditch. Gladwin was pinned under the truck.

Gladwin was taken by medical helicopter to Nebraska Medicine in Omaha.

Gladwin was taken off life support just before noon Thursday, Washington County Attorney Scott Vander Schaaf confirmed. She was an organ donor, he said.

An autopsy has been ordered, but Vander Schaaf does not expect any citations to be filed.

“This is just a tragic accident,” he said.

A GoFundMe online fundraising page has been created for her children: Jazmyn, 3; Nikoli, 2; and Malaki, 7 months.

Enterprise 19 May 2017

"That's our April"

Herman woman's organs donated after fatal crash

(Photo)

April Gladwin will be remembered for her cheerful disposition, but also her willingness to sacrifice herself to help others.

“She'd help others even if it meant her doing without or changing her schedule for someone,” her stepmother, Christina Gladwin, said.

That's why it wasn't a complete surprise to April's parents that she had registered to donate her organs if something were to happen to her.

April, 21, of Herman was killed in a one-vehicle rollover crash on County Road P43 south of Fort Calhoun on May 9. Her three children and fiance, Austin Casey, 24, were also injured in the crash when a wasp flew into the vehicle, causing Casey to lose control of the 1999 Dodge Dakota pickup truck. Casey and April were attempting to swat the insect when the crash occurred.

“She's always been afraid of insects,” Christina said.

April was pinned under the truck and later taken by medical helicopter to Nebraska Medicine in Omaha. Doctors told her parents that there was little they could do.

“Pretty much, there was no hope,” her father, Paul, said. “We, of course, believe that God can do anything.”

“We were clinging to that little tiny hope that was there,” Christina said.

But April's condition worsened overnight. On May 11, doctors performed a test, which showed she had little to no brain function.

“Luckily, I didn't have to make that decision (to take her off the ventilator),” Paul said.

Doctors asked the Gladwins if they would be willing to donate April's organs.

“We said yes. April would have wanted that,” Christina said.

Then, the couple found out April had already registered as an organ donor.

“It had to be when she had her permit because she never had her license,” Christina said. “She was very afraid of driving.”

As a child, April witnessed another family member make the same sacrifice.

Doctors were able to use April's liver, pancreas, heart, both kidneys, bone and tissue.

“She could have saved four or five people,” Christina said.

The couple believes it's a blessing that April could help others in such a tragic situation.

“That's our April,” Christina said. April's three children — Jazmyn, 3; Nikolai, 2; and Malaki, 7 months — were in the truck at the time of the accident. All three were in their car seats.

Jazmyn had a bump on her head. Nikolai and Malaki had a few scratches.

“Luckily, they are OK,” Christina said.

April's uncle, Brandon Gladwin, has created a GoFundMe online fundraising page for the children. The money will be used to raise college funds for them, Paul said.

The Gladwins have been overwhelmed by the support from the community, including the Blair congregations of Passageway Church and Country Bible Church.

“Both of them have come together to help us through this,” Christina said.

April was born May 21, 1995, in Watertown, S.D. She moved to Herman when she was 5 years old and attended Tekamah-Herman Community Schools for three years. She graduated from Blair High School in 2013.

April was an active member of Mothers of Preschoolers and was employed at Burger King in Blair. She previously worked at Walmart.

April was the oldest of 10 children. She is survived by her fiance, father, stepmother and mother, Renee Ladd.

Funeral card

April Gladwin

May 21, 1995-May 13, 2017

(photo)

To become an organ and tissue donor in honor of April, visit NeDonation.org or call 402-733-1800

Generosity transforms the world.

Treasures in Heaven

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

—Matthew 6:19-21

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.—

I Thessalonians 4:16-18

LIVE dONate—Nebraska Organ Recovery

~~~ Obituaries courtesy of Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Public Library, Blair, Nebraska. ~~~

FindaGrave 179245191