In this episode of Less Than One Percent, Apryl opens up about the experiences that shaped her, from being raised by her grandmother in Cincinnati to navigating family separation, loss, motherhood, public scrutiny and life in the entertainment industry. She also shares why she refuses to live as a victim, how she learned to walk away from toxic situations, and why being present and choosing love matter more than external success.
This is how Apryl Jones disrupted the expectations placed on her and learned to live unapologetically in her truth.
1:24
She felt so bad. She was like, you know, uh, I'mma let I'm I'mma come back on.
1:28
So, this is April Jones. I'm not I'm not even going to introduce you.
1:32
First of all, let me just say thank you for having me back. Second of all, it's always been amazing energy with Moo.
1:37
That is just hands down what it is. And I really did actually feel bad for him because I was like, I know you missed my energy on your show. Like, we need me, you know?
1:47
Yeah. Yeah. She watched some of the episodes. She was like, I was like, gosh, what a great story. Oh, darn. She's amazing.
1:55
I love it.
1:55
No, I think your superpowers is a humility. I think it's I think it's humility. Thank you.
2:04
All right. So, we we got to go back. So, I I watched the entire like last show 18 times. Um, and I gave myself like a B
2:13
minus. You You got an A. Well, you know, I was good, but you started asking me questions, which was super weird.
2:21
You know how we started off that interview? He said, "Ask me questions." I know. Sorry. I just had to tell the truth.
2:26
Okay. So, so we got to go back to this superpower, this mirror reflector. Like, I think I surprised you with the question.
2:34
Um, but now that you reflect on being a mirror reflector. Yeah.
2:39
Do is that still your surprise? Because I think you have I think you might have a few others.
2:44
Um, I mean, mirror reflector showing showing somebody themselves in ways that they
2:51
don't see. Um uh my other superpower is I don't know.
2:56
I'm just I'm a light. Like I really believe that there is light and dark in this world. I think my superpower is that I show up and I'm supposed to my
3:04
purpose is to like make people's lives a bit brighter. Yeah. Bring a little bit more more joy, offer a different perspective,
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um truth even if it hurts, like those sorts of things. I think that is really truly a superpower. Something I thought about though, and tell me if I'm wrong, okay,
3:20
in respect to that, both of those things, okay, is that I keep thinking like your superpower is real. Yeah.
3:26
It's actually just which is which is but that's not authentic.
3:30
Being authentic, being who you are, because I don't think that that's uh I mean, I wasn't always know I mean, I'm myself now, which causes me a lot of
3:38
problems, but I've always been in trouble since I was a kid.
3:43
Not a lie. No, I was being brought me back. But being being yourself, being authentic, not just authentic like, hey,
3:51
you know, I am what I am, but it's also like coming, you know, presenting yourself in a way where everybody knows exactly who you are. Yeah.
3:59
I think that's a that's a huge thing.
4:01
The other thing I wanted to talk about is as I'm going back through the whole story in my in my mind. So, we both have a connection in Cincinnati.
4:09
Yes, we do.
4:10
When were you in I mean, when did you you're not there now. You're not in Cincinnati now. Not in Cincinnati now.
4:14
In Los Angeles. So Cincinnati. So army brat born in Germany and then moved to Chicago for one year. We lived on the
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Fort Sheridan base and then moved to Cincinnati when I was like 6 to 11 years old. Now I moved there to live with my grandmother
4:31
because my mom couldn't take care of all four kids. I'm the baby of four.
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My mom couldn't take care of all four kids when we were growing up because my dad got incarcerated. So I live with my grandmother. She helped raise me and my
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sister that is three and a half years older than me. And um she kept the two oldest. Yeah.
4:47
In Chicago with her and we live with my grandmother in Cincinnati.
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And what age were you when 6 to 11?
4:53
Was that hard to I mean absolutely a split kind of split family.
4:58
Yeah. And you know what's interesting is all of my siblings, we all suffer from that but very differently because we're all again three and a half
5:06
years apart. So my oldest sister's 10 years from me, my brother, we have the same birthday. He's seven years from me. And then my sister is three and a half.
5:13
Our experiences were different because I'm the baby. So a lot I don't recall um as far as like the way that they recall it.
5:22
I suffered more just from the abandonment of like where is my parents?
5:26
Why are you leaving me here? Why are you not coming back? But no one explained anything to me. So I kind of grew up with this whole idea of like living in not truth.
5:36
Wow. and having to and I think that's why I've become so it's I'm so adamant about just tell me who you are just be
5:43
I'd rather that than be a person that's lied to because it's been my whole life right growing up so do you think when did you realize
5:52
that I mean you're going through you know like when did you look back and say oh I'm like that because of that
5:59
oh I think when I was maybe like my beginning 20s okay where I was just kind of like I mean I I think I've always felt that, but
6:07
understanding it maybe in my 20s where I'm like, I don't like I need to know who I am. I need to really truly just
6:15
like have the people around me that are going to be honest with me. Like I can't operate from another space. It doesn't work for my life. Yeah.
6:22
You know, already have, you know, growing up the trust issues and then, like I said, the abandonment and being like, whoa, who is for me, who's not?
6:29
Because you grow up, your parents are supposed to be the first examples of like what love looks like and, you know, all of that. And I and
6:35
although my mom and my dad do have and have had love for me, they just showed it differently, right?
6:42
And what that looks like, but my mom, I know she did everything that she could through that. Yeah.
6:47
That transition of her life, which I didn't understand when I was growing up cuz I mean, I was just a kid.
6:52
Yeah. I mean, I I was fortunate both parents are there. But it's almost like what was that like?
6:59
Well, my parents look No, but the thing is my parents were different.
7:04
They're different now than they were then, you know, like my my like because my mom was sort of like the steady
7:11
and my dad is, you know, like he's he was we had a we had a rough rel, you know, you know, we got that I got that testosterone kick. We were fighting all
7:19
the time and all that stuff. But now he's like your best friend.
7:22
Yeah. He's just like he's like what happened? Like we got to do we got to do your testosterone now because I'm like you're a super just like this nice,
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you know. Um, and then my my mom my mom I think you know my mom is actually helping my my sister raise her kids. Yeah.
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And so you know she's in she's 81 I think like last week last week and she's she's in that grind.
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I mean she's taking care of two young kids helping my sister do that. So yeah. You know I was going to say real real quick. I think another superpower it just popped
7:53
in my head Yeah.
7:55
is walking away. I have no problem with walking away from anything that does not serve me. So you're confident enough in yourself and who you are. You're like,
8:03
"This is not this doesn't work. I'm out." Correct. That's hard to do. Yeah. I mean, for others.
8:11
Yeah. I mean, it's hard for me to do, but I think that that's what the boundaries and think when people talk about boundaries, it's like, no, I have them set in place. Yeah.
8:19
And I'm not going to operate like I love you enough to really truly walk away.
8:23
Yeah. Do you feel like people look to you to elevate themselves? Do you feel like people are like, "I want to be your friend or I want to work with you and
8:32
it's nothing to do with you, the person, is it more to do with what they can benefit?" I'm sure, but I think then when I open my mouth and people get to know me,
8:37
they're like, "Wow, this girl is different." Like I we saw the outside, but when she actually speaks, I think people really do value what I have to say. So, I'll have friends that'll call
8:49
me like, "Hey, hey, I know that you have a vision about this. Can you call me back? I need just want to know what your thought is about this or like what you really think about that." that. So I I
8:57
pride myself on the way that I do think because I don't think in a box, you know what I mean? I do have visions for certain things. So yes, while people may
9:06
see me and have that initial thought, I think it gets deeper as they speak to me. Are you underestimated?
9:13
Do you feel do you feel like that? Do you get that? Absolutely.
9:18
You walk around like, yeah, I'mma show I'mma show that. I don't think I walk around and I say I'm going to show them. But I walk around confidently proud because I know what
9:26
that looks like and I've been underestimated my whole life because when you are a pretty girl already it comes with its,
9:33
you know, disadvantages, right? Because people will look at you and be like, "Oh, she's just another pretty girl.
9:38
Probably dumb and stupid." And it's like, okay, like I'm really not though, right? Right.
9:44
And and then like I said, when I'm given the opportunity to talk or someone gives me a little bit of their time.
9:49
Yeah. just give me that little bit of time I can get my foot in the door.
9:52
So, we talked about that. I think you're you're you're just on that journey, right, of Yeah.
9:57
you know, public speaking, being out there.
10:00
So, we talked about my my my problem is anger. Yeah.
10:05
Like like you know, um I went to the iHeart um I went to the iHeart awards show.
10:14
Okay. in in at South by Southwest and I'm watching all these people get awards for their podcast and I'm just
10:20
getting angry angry and you know and so um I can you just listen to what you're saying. I don't know.
10:27
It's funny perception is a weird thing. Mhm.
10:30
So, if you're ugly, you get perceived a certain way. Like, no. No. I'm just saying. I'm playing. But if you're if you're if you're, you know, if you're
10:38
pretty or good-looking or whatever, you're perceived. It's almost like you lose no matter what. You know, like people already make up their mind based on stereotypes are real.
10:48
Yeah.
10:49
And it's really unfair. You know what I mean? That's why for me it's like when I meet people, I I completely am open to just who you are. Yeah. Yeah.
10:57
And then I make the decision of what that looks like moving forward because it's like you don't know. And you know there are some people that you meet that
11:04
are real gyms out here. Some people who are less than the 1%. Yeah. And you would be doing yourself a disservice, right? If you didn't give them the
11:11
opportunity to speak or giving them a platform. So thank you for giving me a platform because you know people just want me to just be quiet. I don't know why. I think I say really nice things.
11:20
I'm a really nice person. So thanks Moo.
11:23
Okay. you're my friend and I'm just going to let you know like I don't think quiet. I mean, you know, I don't want to
11:31
offend, but I don't think quiet is uh is is is that is that Careful, man.
11:36
No, no, no. I'm I'm I'm treading lightly, you know, because I'm I'm working on part three right now. So, I'm treading lightly so I can say what I
11:43
want to say then. But But you quiet is not your thing. Okay. What do you think?
11:50
Now, are there situations where you hold back and don't say what you want to say?
11:56
Melissa, right now, what was it said? No. No. I say for the most part what I want to say. Yeah. Yeah. I just know how to say it nicely.
12:04
Yeah. I think I'm not crazily like obnoxious. I could be obnoxious, but you know. Do you think that that's a progression? Oh, yeah.
12:12
Yeah. Yeah. I've grown.
12:14
Were there times where you just Did you see me back in the day?
12:18
Listen, you know, I have come a long way. Progression.
12:25
Yes. I Okay. Okay. I I need to know cuz I I haven't experienced that that young lady. Okay.
12:32
Okay. So, Okay.
12:34
I want to know. You don't have to give me examples. Yeah.
12:38
And and I don't I don't know what the what is what is it the um where this the statute ran out or whatever. We know.
12:45
But what was that young lady like? Oh.
12:48
Um, a ruckus. Like I didn't have a fil like I didn't have a filter at all.
12:54
If I just wanted to say something based on how I felt it would come out. It didn't matter what it was. Now I think about it and then I say it.
13:02
So it's, you know, not about what you say, it's about how you say it. I'm learning that whole thing.
13:05
So you're still authentic in both situations. just just that one one is just a little bit more softer to take in and digest for people because
13:13
most people can't handle the other side and then I become crazy and I become oh she's obnoxious or she's wild but if I can compose myself
13:22
if I can sit up and speak like this and say my truth then I'm re I'm received differently right right
13:29
but I actually like those you know the other side of me too I think that you know we should it's all a part of life that part Yes, is still sometimes me
13:38
when I'm comfortable around the people I'm comfortable around that part comes you know but see like I feel I feel like and I don't know if you go through this too that takes energy so
13:46
I'm an introvert extrovert yeah but we talked about saying yeah right and so I think part of the extrovert time if I'm with people who I
13:55
can really be myself it's actually not that bad but if you're having to hold back constantly isn't that t is that tiring
14:03
yeah but I don't hold back okay so now you don't hold But you just reframe. You just reframe. Yeah. It's not like hold holding back.
14:10
It's just about choosing the right wording. So it's I don't hold back. I'm just being a little bit more poised in the way that I communicate and being more mature in how I express myself. Okay.
14:20
As opposed to coming on here being like, "Yeah, mother." Like, you know what I mean? But like when you get with your friends, you sometimes talk like that. You know what I mean?
14:27
Like I'm on a, you know, podcast. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Right. Right. So you Okay. You got it.
14:34
Is it possible to get an example of the old the younger?
14:39
Yeah. So, for example, like if um because people would say like like if I go on my lives, right? If I was on my lives, I'm very sarcastic. Yeah. Like I
14:47
like to antagonize people because I feel like I don't know you anyway and you think you know me. So, okay, I'm I'm a oneup you on this live. So, people be like, "Oh, so you if I was affiliated or
14:56
associated with anybody next to any man, I've slept with them." It's the notion that I have been intimately sexually involved with someone
15:04
because I stand next to them as you know an oppos the opposite sex. She's a pretty girl. There's no way they cannot. Right.
15:10
I have a lot of friends in this entertainment industry that I've never touched. Right. Right. Right.
15:14
So I remember one live I was like, "Oh yes, I've done it to him and yes, I've had sex with this person. Yes. Yes."
15:22
Oh. So you you were just playing into it.
15:24
Yeah. And then that of course went viral.
15:27
Right. Right. Right. which I knew it was going to, but it's like I don't care.
15:31
Like, you know, so it was those moments when I look back on I'm like I probably shouldn't have done that, but then a part of me is like kind of glad that I did though.
15:39
I think that Yeah, it's hard. I think there's a freedom. We were I was talking about this with somebody else earlier this week. Yeah.
15:45
About freedom. And we were talking about actually she's laughing because she's thinking about the time.
15:52
I think do you think money and I'm not and I'm not I'm not talking about like little money like 100 million 200 million
16:00
okay f like you know like real like Jay and bay money okay do you think that people change or do you think that it just reveals who they
16:08
are I think both I think two things can be true okay both of what you said can be both true
16:16
people do change and some people have always been that way you You know, I think some people don't have the proper tools
16:25
and skill sets to navigate what that looks like when a hundred million is sitting in that bank account. They're like, "Oh, blow through the wall. I'm getting them chains. I'm getting, you
16:34
know, like, you know what I mean?" And there's some people that's like, "I know what I'm doing, and I don't give a damn how I'm gonna get there, right? I'm gonna get there." And then they get it and they still a-holes.
16:43
Yeah.
16:44
No, there's a lot of I mean, I know a lot of people Yeah. We've had people here that have been very very wealthy but they act like they don't have anything.
16:53
Yeah.
16:53
And then you have people that may not be that act like they have everything. It's interesting.
16:58
Yeah. Because you know it's that it's that oh boy. It's just not knowing who you are. Yeah.
17:04
You know you either know who you are or you don't.
17:06
Are you proud that you grew up in Cincinnati? Are you are you when you look back at that time and I'll frame it. I look back at time my time where
17:15
and we talked a little bit about that last time, but I have other I have other demons. Okay.
17:19
Um and that's why that's why 100% vibe with you because I have some bad demons. I'm like I'm glad like what year was that? Like am I going to get charged with that?
17:30
Like you know. No. Like legit. Dang. Who? I love I love how honest you are.
17:35
Oh no. For for real. Like I No, I I was terrible. Yeah.
17:39
Like growing up I was angry. I was fighting all the time.
17:44
You know, my mom sent me to the school that the academic school when I should have wanted to go play ball with my boys and I was, you know, only black kid in
17:53
the school. Well, no, there's like five of us and we're all in the freshman class.
17:57
There were a few upper classmen and I fought every day. Dang.
18:01
I fought every day. But the second day of class, um, somebody stood over me and spit in my hair.
18:09
Oh, you you beat the brakes. It was it I didn't eat like you used to have hair. Moo.
18:17
Dang. Moo. You had hair. This podcast is over. No. You about to walk.
18:22
I got to give the hair. I got to give the hair story though. I got to give the hair story. Well, please tell me what kind it was.
18:27
I shaved all through high school because I wanted to be like MJ. Okay.
18:30
Right. And then um in in in college, I actually had dreads. I was I was dreaded out, you know.
18:38
Okay. INI Rastafari Jama Jamaican, you know what I mean?
18:43
And then uh so then I was going applying to medical school. Okay.
18:47
I'm like, "Okay, I I got to get this fade. I can't be going to these interviews like this." And then probably like I remember I was
18:55
like I was out I was out I was already practicing emergency medicine probably in my 30s. And I'm like, you know, I'm going to grow it out again.
19:02
And I go to the barber and I said, you know, hey, we're going to space this out. I'm trying to grow it out again. I mean, he's he's looking down at me and he's like, "No, dude. You're not going
19:09
to grow it out again." Like, no, that's And so, pretty much gone in the middle.
19:14
No, it was, you know, it's starting to thin. Okay.
19:16
So, then I'm like, I'm not letting this happen. I'm not going to I'm not getting No, I'm not sticking on anything.
19:22
Yeah. I'm not doing like So, I'm just like, you know, I'm going to take ownership of it. So, I don't even know.
19:28
I mean, I've probably been shaving like this for like your whole life. like maybe well since the dreads so 25 years. So I don't know what it looks like.
19:38
It's a nice shiny head. You know what I mean? It's a nice ball head so people can't pull that off. I know if I shave my head I got lumps and stuff. I wouldn't proper I wouldn't look proper.
19:47
But real quick to go no on a on a real note to go back to the Cincinnati question. I am glad that I was raised in Cincinnati. I am glad that I'm with my grandmother.
19:55
You making me sweat now. It's shinier. It went from shiny to shinier.
20:00
I am glad that I that I was raised out there that my grandmother poured love into me. Yeah.
20:05
And I'm God knew what I needed, you know? Yeah. He really did. Like I don't think my mom would have been a been the proper place to
20:13
really pour into that many kids at that time. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
20:16
So I feel like I was given a lot of love in that course of six five to six years.
20:21
Yeah. Cincinnati though wasn't the best place.
20:24
Oh, it was hood. I was I'm from Lincoln Heights. Anybody that's Lincoln Heights zone 15?
20:29
Yeah. That is the valley homes were awful. Yeah. Projects.
20:35
We used to live in Over the Rine, but like right next to the the medical school.
20:41
That that was that was that was interesting. Wait, what is that is by Wood Line?
20:45
That is like uh So, you know where Coryville is, right? Do you remember Coryville? It was right by the university.
20:51
Maybe. I think feel like that's over by Woodline.
20:53
Yeah, maybe like um I'm trying to remember some of the streets.
20:58
Huh. But I used to coach like so in medical school I would coach um at the at the rec center.
21:05
Now I remember Kenny Poe. Kenny Poe man.
21:08
Kenny Poe was this kid and you talk about allergies. You mentioned allergies earlier. Kenny Poe nose was running all the time and he was wheezing. He had he
21:16
had bad asthma. This was a I'm like you know I'm going to medical school so I'm learning about these kids that are we call it a eight topic. Yeah.
21:23
Like he was everything. Mhm.
21:26
So I would coach and Kenny Po was so talented and so um so I'm like, "Okay, I'm going to drop Kenny Po home." So I'm like, "Okay, Kenny, where do you live?
21:34
Where you live?" You know, so he's dro I drop him off and I drop him off in the neighborhood. I'm like, "Oh my gosh." He's like, "All right, I'm good. He's 10." I'm like, "Kenny, we we're going to He's
21:43
like, "No, I'm good. I'm good." I'm like, "Okay, well, at least let us take you to your door so your mom Yeah.
21:49
can get So that's why your story resonated when you you know, you said that you're raised there." So he's like, "No, my my mom ain't home." I said, "Kenny, where's your mom?" Yeah.
21:57
At the club.
21:59
I'm like I mean, and this was like this was like 5 in the 5 in the evening, you know, like we we had practice at like 3:30. Oh, the club.
22:07
Yeah. So I'm like So now I'm like, "Okay, I got to keep Kenny until mom gets home from the club." That's my mindset. But he was he's taking care of
22:14
himself. He's 10. So I said, "Kenny, what you going to eat?" He said, "St." Where?
22:20
He That's what I said. He said TV dinners.
22:24
He said he was going to go home and cook him some snake and go to and and then do his homework and go to sleep.
22:32
Well, there ain'no way that little 10-year-old boy was making nobody state.
22:34
I'm tell He showed up every day. I picked him up like almost every day. He showed up every day to practice. He never looked the shovel. I'm like, look like what he had been through, you know?
22:46
I think that he looked like he was fanning for himself. Kenny was less than 1%.
22:52
Kenny was a I mean I wish Kenny if you're out there I mean I mean those kids you know I loved him but uh
23:00
that's rough. That's rough. Like I like I feel spoiled and privileged the way I come up consider I came up and what Kenny had to go through. But
23:08
Cincinnati I feel like Cincinnati is also a tale of two cities, right? because you had people that had it rough and then you
23:14
had people that you know that hide park and people that had a lot of money and I felt like those lines were never long
23:22
you know there there was like one street over and you would have somebody that was struggling you know Yeah. Yeah. So you left Cincinnati?
23:29
I left Cincinnati when I was 11. My mom my so the two oldest Yeah.
23:34
graduated and she was like I want my kids back. So we came back.
23:38
Okay. And that was rough because at that point I was already through my developmental years. I was like my mom is my grandmother. I don't want to leave.
23:47
My life felt like for the first time I I knew who I was at that moment.
23:53
And then now I was being ripped away from that.
23:55
So it was really hard to be 5 years old and then you're like begging for your mom every time. And mind you, my mom would come for the holidays but she comes and then she leaves. And I'm that
24:03
little girl looking out the window like what's happening? Why is my mom going?
24:07
And that's difficult when no one saying well your dad is this or you know this is what's hap no one talked to me about it. So you're navigating that as a as a
24:15
five six year old and when you become 11 and it's like oh I got some level of stability now I've kind of planted my feet and the moment that I'm planting my feet here you are to rip me apart from this again.
24:26
So that was where for for me my relationship with my mom was like I was resenting her because I'm like why you're selfish you
24:33
coming back to get me but like you're not thinking about what like my life is now but she wanted me because she gave us up for the betterment of our you know
24:42
so it was just like the irony of all of that. Yeah.
24:46
I didn't understand until I got older and had my own kids and I'm like wow my mom is really an my mom by the way is my best friend. I talked to my mom I just talked to her yesterday. Um but I talked to my mom every day. I adore my mother.
24:58
I think my mom is an exceptional human being. For her to be the only one in the United States of America outside of her whole family to have four children, that
25:07
she did the best that she could do, she is less than 1%. And I get that from my mom. I am my mom's little girl and will always be. And I will root for that woman to the day she is off this earth.
25:18
And and so am I. That woman is an incredible, incredible human. And I can only imagine what she went through, you
25:26
know what I mean? To like be doing all of this alone and still manage to keep us alive, living, and well.
25:32
And I think it's great that you got to that point, but I think a lot of people hold things against their parents. Yeah.
25:38
But they're doing the best. I mean, I'm I'm I'm doing the best I can. Like I'm I'm not fully I try to do the best I can, but
25:46
when we look back at what they did, they really were doing the things we didn't understand it. And maybe they could have learned to explain it differently. It was a different time then.
25:54
Yeah. We can't hold on.
25:55
My parents wasn't explaining nothing to me back then, you know? It's like, right, I'm doing it. This is what's happening. Deal with it.
26:02
Right. But you get, you know, to choose as you get older. Yeah.
26:05
Right. You want to live in blaming your parents for the rest of your life that your life didn't pan out. Like I don't believe in that.
26:12
Yeah. I think that's the whole part of loving is like loving without the condition and really truly having a level of understanding and forgiveness
26:20
for people who don't always know how to show up for you. And it doesn't mean guys that like you have to deal with anybody's crap. You know, you can love them from a distance as well, but you know, still loving them.
26:30
Does that change did that experience change you as a parent? You talked about being a parent now. Absolutely.
26:36
What what did what did it change about your view on everything? I am open as hell.
26:43
You tell them everything.
26:45
Everything I can think of. We will sit and we will talk and we will hash it out. I don't want my kids feeling like they cannot come and speak to me.
26:53
If anything, I want my kids to grow up saying, "Well, my mom had that conversation with me first. My mom did speak to me about this. You know, there were some harsh truths. You know, things
27:01
I just had a really hard conversation with my son the other day, and I said, "Look, things are going to get real, and you're getting older. You're becoming a man. You know, I need you to know how to show up for women. And I need you to
27:09
know how to, you know, be the example cuz you are the man in my house. And so how things happen at your dad's house looks one way, but how they happen in my
27:17
home, it looks a different way. But you've got to know that. And it's and it sucks, right? Because he has to experience the separation, but I am no man.
27:26
I'm But I'm playing the part of that in my household. So I need him to show up differently. And so I had to have that conversation like, "Son, you know what I mean? Like you're
27:34
getting older." Yeah.
27:35
You know what I'm saying? Like he likes girls and stuff. And I'm like, "Oh boy." And he's like, I said, "You got to talk to me about that stuff." So now he came to me and said, "Mom, do you mind if I
27:43
go play at Sky Zone with my friend?" I said, "Oh man, which friend? Which you know?" Yeah. Little girl. I said, he said, "I'm I'm going to give you her
27:51
mama number." I said, "Okay." Oh man. Okay. So he gave me the mom's number. Me and the mom had been talking and you know, he got in trouble so he
28:00
didn't get to go to Sky Zone, but he will, you know, get to hang out.
28:04
But it's those sorts of things where I feel like I'm allowing my kids to be honest and feel seen and heard. Yeah. Um is his birthday the March birthday.
28:12
You have one that's my daughter just turned March 7th. March 7th. Yeah. And he's August 7th. Okay. 11. So 10 and 11 right now. Okay. He'll be 12 in August.
28:20
All right. So what what we talked about this last time a little bit. What your hopes were for them, what they were into.
28:26
Has that changed? Are they My hopes are that they just be whoever it is that they want to be. And that's going to change. that's not gonna stay
28:34
the same. We've had, you know, we were kids. Yeah.
28:37
I think my profession changed at least 30 times in my mind, right? You know what I mean? Right.
28:42
So, I know that like whatever it is that they want to do, I want to be in support of that. I just want them to explore and really figure out what that looks like
28:50
and just know that they have someone that's behind them fully.
28:54
So, if you look back throughout your life, there are all these people that change your trajectory. Could be one small thing for them, but it's a big thing for you. So, who's
29:02
that person for you though? Or who's who are those people that have changed mine that that have changed your life or your angels? People that have come in and say,
29:10
"Oh, my grandmother, my best friend who was killed uh in a terrible car accident." So, I lost my best friend
29:17
Elicia and my grandmother within a three-month span. Those were the two closest people to me. Um, so those two,
29:24
my mom, um, I think even my dad, I think in my dad's death, he has really shown up more than he actually has present.
29:34
Tell me about that.
29:35
Um, I think just in his death, I think I just chose to just not drink, you know, I'm I'm my best version of myself.
29:42
Um, I think it forced me to have to just like see myself differently and grow up. It forced me to do the work. Yeah.
29:49
Which was he was no longer here and all the trauma that I suffered from was really like, oh, what that relationship did to me in my life. Yeah.
29:56
And having to sort through that and have a really level of like a true level of forgiveness for him, for myself, for
30:04
what he caused and all these things. And I love my dad. You know, he's not here flesh, but his spirit still lives on.
30:12
Yeah. And you know, I can feel him around me.
30:15
And I am of him. I came out of his ball sack. See, those are things that you say loudly that I'm no filter. You know what I mean? I lived in there and then and
30:23
then I shot into my mom's egg. You know what I'm saying? So, he still lives. I still am, you know, one with him.
30:29
Can't deny him, you know? So, he still shows up. I mean, I I'm here, right? He's here. So, Right. Yeah.
30:36
So, you you um she wasn't lying. I had to stop.
30:41
He was the lion about what she will say anything.
30:44
I I feel I quit. But you know what I mean? It's true.
30:48
Listen, I I think that uh See, I think that that's a superpower. I think that you know, I think that I agree.
30:56
You know what I mean? Like Thank you.
30:58
Like you flew from Dallas, I mean from LA to Dallas, right? To come here and hang out with us, which I I'm so appre appreciative.
31:07
Me, too.
31:08
You know, but to come and then not say to not say what you want to say. Yeah. I think it's crazy.
31:16
No, I'm always going to say what I want to say. There's a freedom in being free. Yeah. Just be I love it. I love it.
31:22
I don't want to be restricted. I'm not here to please people. I'm here to please myself. Yeah.
31:26
And I tell people all the time, I love you, but I love me more.
31:29
And I will always love me more outside of my kids. Um I say nicely, you can go to hell.
31:36
Nicely said that. I'm sorry, but I really I love me. Yeah. I put a lot of work.
31:43
Yeah. in time into realizing like no, we're all humans. We are not perfect beings. Like it's what are we going to do? We have
31:50
not a limited time on earth. I want to explore this fully and I want to be in my full truth because tomorrow is not promised, right?
31:58
Talking about 100 years. Some people got 30, some people got 50. We don't know what that time looks like. Yeah.
32:04
So good, bad, good, bad, ugly, indifferent. I don't really care what anyone has to say about me. I I'm experiencing life. My mistakes are
32:11
what's gonna catapult me to being the best version of myself. I truly believe you cannot grow if you don't have bad things that happen to you in your life.
32:19
Right. Actually, you can tell the people who don't have bad things happen because they act a totally different way. 100%.
32:24
Okay. So, speaking of others and uh being true, we we do a thing. I hope you're okay with it. I'm always going to be okay.
32:31
Okay. So, we we have you call somebody. Okay. And I ask them a question. Okay. So, so uh let's call let's call.
32:35
So, usually just uh introduce yourself.
32:42
I mean, sorry, introduce let them know you're on the podcast and introduce them to me and then I'll I'll ask the question. Okay.
33:01
Hello.
33:02
Hey, Mom. So, you're connected to this device where I'm on this podcast, but the but the interviewer wants to ask you a question. His name is Moo.
33:11
Okay. Hi. How are you? Hi.
33:14
Hi. Sorry to bother you. I know. Um, thanks for your time. Um, by the way, you you have an amazing daughter.
33:21
Uh, so I just wanted to let you know that and I want to ask you a question. We asked her a question here in the studio and we want to ask you the same question and see how you respond. Is that okay?
33:31
Okay. I'm kind of hasty. Um, but it's okay.
33:35
Okay. Well, well, what what would you say um what would you say April's superpower is?
33:41
Super power. She's very loving. She's very smart. She's very independent. Believe in God.
33:52
Wow. Should I just pick one or something?
33:55
Yeah. Just I mean, we just want to hear what you think her superpower is. What did you say, April? What did you say your superpower was?
34:01
Um, that I'm a mirror reflector. That I'm able to walk away from situations.
34:09
Um, oh, and then you said how real I am. Yeah. How how honest and real I am. What do you think about those?
34:17
Are you talking to me? Yes. Yes. Yes.
34:20
Oh, okay. Yeah. I mean, I think I think it's much so. Yes. But, you know, like I
34:28
say, I believe a little different than her, you know, because I see her grow up. She's very smart.
34:35
That's awesome. That's awesome. Well, thank you. Appreciate it. I know we took some of your time, so thank you so much.
34:42
Oh, you're welcome. Okay. Love you, Mom. Bye. Love you. Bye. Bye. She's so Asian.
34:51
Oh my god. She's like, "Super, you want to try? You want to try to call
35:00
someone else?" Oh, I I guess I can call Omari. He's one of my ex-boyfriends.
35:08
Oh my god. I thought you was talking about No, not my baby daddy. Oh, no.
35:16
Oh no, buddy. Yeah, Omari would answer.
35:21
Yeah. Okay, let's just call just so you have two.
35:32
Hey, hey, good morning.
35:34
Good morning. What's happening? You have I am I'm on a podcast and I thought about calling you. So, they I have to call one person uh that kind of knows me
35:44
um and they ask you a question. So, is that okay? Yeah. Okay. So, go ahead.
35:51
All right. Hey, how you doing? Sorry to bother you. No problem. How are you?
35:55
Good, good, good. Um, so we're on this podcast and I asked April a question and now I want to ask you that same question. We want to see how they line
36:04
up. Um, and so what what do you think her superpower is? Her personality.
36:12
Say say more. Say more.
36:15
Uh, she's just got an electric personality. She, you know, she when she walks in the room, you feel it.
36:21
Everybody knows it. And, uh, you know, I think that's her, that's her, that's her greatest superpower.
36:28
That's awesome. Yeah, she's she's nodding. She's nodding back and forth. So, I think I think she agrees.
36:33
I was like listening like, wait, what is he going to say? What do you think about that, April?
36:36
I mean, I I think that's, you know, I'm a light.
36:40
Yeah, I think I did say that. So, um, thanks.
36:44
Oh, and this is this is Omari, not Omaran, just by the way. Okay,
36:52
I just had to make that very make it clear. All right, thanks for appreciate you. Thank you so much.
36:58
All right, no problem.
37:01
Yeah, cuz people are going to be like, "Is that her baby daddy?" I think he'd say something quite different. I'm just playing if I do say so myself. Shall we call him?
37:12
He won't pick up for me. I've been trying that for a while. That's a different podcast, right?
37:18
Like, h actually, yeah, I would like to share. It's just a rotten little I'm just saying.
37:24
I'm just playing. We are We are so not uh So, that though he said personality, but I think light is is
37:31
Yeah, I think No, but that's which that's your aura. I mean, that's your aura. you you make I mean I know you
37:39
have all these different things and I I want to see I want to see the dark side.
37:44
Oh I mean we've I'm saying that but maybe I don't but cuz she just she just talked about my
37:51
shiny head so I mean maybe maybe maybe I don't want to see that but like but I do think that
37:59
um you know when you know people I think people are more grounded when they've been through stuff when they've made mistakes when they've done things they shouldn't have done. Mhm.
38:07
You know, and the way that they come at the world is very different. And so that's how you come across to me.
38:13
That's the light that he's talking about personalities he's talking about. I think partly at least for me is that you've been through things.
38:20
So when you know when you like we said when you're here, you're here for a reason.
38:25
You've been through some things where you're like, you know what, I'm I'm going to go hang out with Moo for an hour. You know what I mean? Um and I don't mind being honest about those things. Yeah, I think I think
38:33
we're supposed to share all of what we've experienced because isn't that the purpose? Yeah.
38:40
It helps someone else or maybe if it's just one listening ear that's like, "Oh, well, I actually have been so angry my whole life and like, oh, this is how"
38:48
and they can't get out of that and then they can hear someone on a podcast who has a platform and that they respect or maybe that you don't, but you can listen and be like, "Wow, like I didn't think I
38:57
liked her, but I like her now." I mean, shoot, how' she get through that? Or like the world tore her to shreds and she still came out the mud? Like, how is she still got a great, you know, energy
39:05
and outlook on life, you know, which goes back to your mirror reflecting.
39:10
Yeah. And people people see themselves in you, you know, I mean, because of all the things you went through. And I don't mind being beat up. A lot of people can relate.
39:17
Yeah. that that um I think in the the the sort of the faith part of it to me is if you have gifts, if you have superpowers
39:26
and you're holding them back from the world, to me that's that's the sin. That's a sin.
39:30
Yeah. God didn't give us all of these things, the good the good things to not give them to other people. Yeah.
39:31
I'm supposed to So projects, what what are things you're working on that you want people to I mean, of course, they're going to go to your Instagram now. They're going to go
39:44
to all they're going to digest all things April. But what are projects you're working on that you're excited about?
39:50
Of course, movies, films. Um I just ended up coming off of a film called I Know Where You Live and that was really funny fun and playful. I love that
39:58
character. She was a vice president um who's kind of being stalked by some people and she has to discover or the world has to discover what that looks
40:06
like. So I'll just say that. But that was really fun. I had my little, you know, bob and so I felt very executive like. Yeah. Um, so that, um, I'm working on.
40:14
When does that come out?
40:15
That maybe within the next like six months because I have to edit. Okay. Um, and then I'm working on a book. Okay.
40:22
Um, that I've been writing and I got to get when I You got I got to get We got a lot of space. We got a lot of space. Yeah, we got a lot of space over
40:29
there behind you. I love all these books in here by the way and I love reading.
40:34
Um, so working on that and you know more of like a self-help book. Yeah. Just u called wounds in the way. I think I'm stationary on that name maybe.
40:44
I like that name though.
40:45
But you know just helping people not play that victim and kind of hearing my story within it and not feeling like they're alone. So they get to kind of
40:52
read it. They get to have an area of journaling mantras and remedies and things that are going to kind of help uplift their spirit. And um but they
41:00
have to get raw and real. It's real workbooks. Uh it's it's going to be a real thing and some real work. Yeah.
41:08
Ain't nothing you got. Only way out is through. Not superficial.
41:12
Only way out is through. You know what I mean? If you really want to get to the other side. So I'm here to help you do the work, you know? And really being
41:21
vulnerable with my life and more of my life in that as well. So they'll read it and feel connected. Um what other
41:29
things? Like just working on stuff because People always say, "I smell so good." They really do. They're like, "Well,
41:36
your skin's glowing, April." And I'm like, "I know." And they're like, "You smell so good, April." And I'm like, "I know." So, I've been working on these like oils and shayes. Okay.
41:48
Um, and yeah, I'm excited about coming out with this line and fitness. You know, you see my muscles popping, right?
41:56
See like all of this, the tone tonation. Yeah. you know.
42:00
Yeah. So, I see you grinding. Yeah. On Instagram.
42:02
Anything that has to do with fitness, wellness, encouraging um I'm I'm in the space and being a creative. Oh, and you know, I still work with my patients on a
42:11
dayto-day basis. That's awesome. That's it. That's awesome. That's awesome.
42:14
Yeah, that's a lot. That's not That's not light work. That's a lot of work. That's not Yeah.
42:19
So So what would you say? Um so people are out there Yeah. They, you know, they know know they're listening to you now
42:28
and they're going through whatever they're going through whether and I I'm going to stop that real quick. That thought
42:35
the the I'm a greater victim than you are thing is crazy right now in the world, right? Everybody is a victim for whatever reason.
42:42
Some people are victim because they're, oh, I make too much money. I'm a victim, right? Like it's like, come on now. You ain't like Yeah. And and I think hearing real
42:49
stories makes people realize like, oh, what I'm going through is e either isn't that bad or someone's going through it, too, and I can go through it with them.
42:58
So, going back to that, what would you tell those people that are out there that are going to buy your book when it comes that are that that claim they're victim? No, that are going through something.
43:07
They're going through something and they don't know how, you know, it's bad for them. Oh.
43:11
Um, but what would what would you say to them?
43:14
I'm really trying to think because the first thing I've wanted to say was the only way out is through, right? Which I said, but life gets better. It does. And it only
43:24
gets better when you choose the kind of life you you want to live. The way we live is our mentality, right?
43:32
It's what you think. It's how you see yourself. It's how you want to show up every day. And I think like the work comes from you being that voice in your
43:40
own head to say, "I can do this. I'm going to see this through and encouraging your yourself. And I think
43:47
that everything boils down to self. Once you do the work, you realize like, wow, I could have gotten through that. It wouldn't it didn't matter. It wasn't
43:54
about nobody else outside of me. So, if you can just see yourself and know that like it's if you're not in a good space
44:02
that it gets better. And once you really just kind of let all the other things, the outside noise and the only noise
44:09
that you hear is your only voice, your voice saying that you can do it and you listen to that voice until you get what
44:16
it is that you're, you know, you want or whatever it is that you desire. That's all that matters, right?
44:22
You know what I mean? Like life is not going to be good. Life is sometimes bad.
44:27
That is what it is. This is what comes with it. So to think you're going to wake up and every day be a glorious day, right? Is insane to me.
44:36
So how how do you suffer? Can you suffer? Well, you know what I mean?
44:40
Because we all go through our own suffering, but it's about how you pick yourself up. Yeah.
44:45
How you hold yourself accountable in those moments? And no one's the victim.
44:50
No one No one's the victim. Like at the end of the day, it's just about navigating through that, seeing it through, and crossing over to the other
44:57
side and utilizing whatever that was to be the best version of yourself that you want to be.
45:02
Wow. That's Wow. So, I'm tell I need the book. I need the book. So, you got to let me know when it comes out. I'll sign it for you. You better sign.
45:11
Matter of fact, I'm going to sign Moose's bald head. Oh, man.
45:15
Right here. Remember when people used to do that? They like put my head Put my hand. Nice. I'm like, "Yeah, that's not a thing anymore, huh?"
45:23
Oh. So, I used to always tell people like, "It shouldn't be a thing anymore." Yeah. Yeah. It shouldn't be. Yeah. People got to stop.
45:29
But, um, but I used to tell people to like normal days, what we think are normal. A lot of people wait for things.
45:35
Oh, I'm waiting for this day or this vacation, right?
45:38
Like when you're not enjoying the normal days because when you have bad days, when people have cancer or they're sick,
45:45
they only wish for the days that were normal, right? And so I think that that's like when you're going through each day, I think um you know, think
45:53
about those normal days. But today is not a normal day um because you're here.
45:59
And I appreciate you being here and I appreciate you um highlighting the fact that I didn't have enough powder on my head because I don't unfortunately I
46:08
don't have any makeup. I don't do the makeup thing. Oh, it's great.
46:12
Yeah. But uh but seriously though, I can I say one last thing? Have you have you guys seen the show called um Famous Last Words?
46:20
Yes.
46:20
Okay. And so it's people who obviously speak and say their last things before we you know it's when they die and they get to watch it. And so I
46:27
I really encourage people to like listen to people who are dying because they're obviously discovering what that looks
46:35
like and they realize what life is like without all of the material because eventually their souls are going to go to the other side. And I think like for
46:44
me it's important to see when you hear these people who know they're exiting out. It's like really at the end of the day all that we complain about and all
46:51
of that we find to be big deals are so minuscule at the end of the day and the only thing that really matters is love and the people that are the closest to
46:59
you and um you know your kids if you have it, your mom, your like family, you know what I mean? And really like
47:06
staying present truly present in the moment. Not thinking about where you're going to be in the future. not thinking about where you where what was in your past but right now here today to stay
47:15
present. So if is there any if there is anything that I can say to people is just to stay in the moment. Yeah.
47:20
Like we got to stay more present. We be up in these things and all this. Yeah.
47:24
We have to stay present. This is not real.
47:27
People show you what they want you to see. Okay. It's not real.
47:31
Being what is real is actually getting out there and interconnecting with people and having human connection. We got to get back to that. Speaking to people. Yesterday I was here at the
47:40
hotel. What did I do? I saw an Asian man running up on that treadmill throughout my whole workout. He ain't had no towel.
47:45
That man was doing this. What did I do before I left? I went and grabbed a towel and I set it on his treadmill because you just you pay attention. Be aware. Start giving loving. He looked at
47:53
me and said, "Wow, thank you." I said, "Uh-huh." That was amazing.
47:57
So, I'm saying stay present, you know, love a little harder, be crazy, be all the things that you want to be cuz who gives a damn.
48:04
And the little things. I mean, it took what, two seconds to do that? Yeah. And you made his day. You might have made his day.
48:10
I'm just saying. He was sweating. He was dripping and quietly quietly he was dripping everywhere and you're like, "But bro, you can't be dripping everywhere." But I know what that's like when you're
48:18
a runner and you're just like, "Yeah." And you forgot the towel, you know? And I'm like, "Oh, no. We got to I So, you know, I don't know. I think
48:27
I I just I want to love until I exit out." Yeah. That's I don't And I don't have to know you to do it. Yeah.
48:33
That's That's amazing. So, what did he do, though? What did he do? He just said thank you. He just looks he just smiled really. He could I think there was a part of him that was just like wow
48:41
he of course number one not expecting it but then looking at me and being like that was such a nice gesture and an act of kindness and I think
48:50
he'll pay it forward maybe right but you do these things so that like he knows what it feels like to have something done to him and now maybe
48:58
he'll do that same thing to somebody else and make somebody else's day. I have one more question for you. Sure.
49:03
Now that you now that you now that you said all that. Okay.
49:07
So, we had uh Leela Lee, you can her uh book is right there next to Angry Little Girls. Yeah. Okay.
49:13
And um the other the the the other book that I don't put up cuz you know I love I love the brand but I'm nervous about
49:20
putting it up is Angry Little Asian Girls. And that's what she started that brand.
49:23
And she she the whole cartoon is about um the stereotypes for Asian women. And
49:31
I thought about that, you know, today, uh, you know, when we called called your mom and Yeah. Yeah.
49:37
Do you think that that has changed? Do you think that because, you know, I love being Jamaican. I I I talk about it way too much. I feel fundamentally my life is
49:47
different because I have that heritage.
49:50
Does are do you find that that how did those heritages come together and how do they make you different?
49:56
Um, how does the heritage of Asian and black come together? Yeah. Yeah. Um, they I mean I'm here.
50:03
No, but I mean I got to get I think we already went through that.
50:10
She came from her dad. I'm so sorry.
50:13
I mean, no, listen. What I was going to say about Yeah, they're doing good.
50:17
When you said angry little Asian, so when we called my mom, could you hear like the tonality of her voice? Yeah. No.
50:23
And so I believe like Asians really the cultural difference to me with Asians is like they have it's very strict
50:31
strict strict strict right. So my mom is very loose with me. But then if I'm like on the phone and it's like hold on what do you mean someone's on here, hey
50:39
I think and they're taught to be right, you know, and they're taught to guard themselves and to not share and to be
50:45
stoic and and I dealt with that my whole life. I'm like girl loosen up. It's okay. Whereas I feel like, you know, black people, there's some level of joy.
50:55
A lot of black people don't give two crabs, right? You know, the the side of my black side, it's, you know, put a lot of faith in God. They put their faith in
51:04
helping people. Um um but my mom, growing up with my mom, it was always just so very linear. Just
51:11
wow. Actually, what you mean by like the angry little Asian girls, it's like because she and what she told us when
51:19
she was here is that that holding back that being in that box to that I can't be myself, you know, that's eats away at you.
51:27
It eats away at you.
51:28
Yeah. I read a book called She'll be with us by the way at the LA Festival. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. If you check it out.
51:35
Okay. I read a book called Where Have Where Have No. What my bones know by Stephanie Fu and she's Asian and oh my.
51:42
Did you read it, Melissa? Because I told Melissa and she speaks about her trauma and the c the culture of being Asian and
51:49
what her mom and her dad did to her growing up because of how they were raised and it is your culture really is a thing.
51:57
Yeah. You know what I mean? In Asian culture, they are very hard.
52:01
They are taught to like almost some people would say if you meet a lot of Asians, my mom didn't tell me I love that they love me. They don't know how to show and express themselves or express emotions. You can't come up to
52:09
an Asian mother and be like, "Mom, so can you tell me about that?" They not talking to you about the sex and things.
52:14
No. No. No. Eat. No. And you're like, "Okay, I'm going to eat. Why are you trying to stuff me? I just need to be
52:21
seen. I just need to be heard." Like, you're not getting that most of the time, you know? Yeah. Yeah.
52:26
So, I love the other comment she made, though, was that that I think that you're loving and that you'smart. I think to me, I think that that was to me
52:36
And uh you know I think something where I feel connected to you is that your mind your mind is you know I I don't
52:45
think people are going on Instagram frankly and looking at you and saying her mind her mind her mind although although
52:52
the the the post that we uh shared together yes people are like blown away. I mean people are blown away but I think the
52:59
fact that she said smart you know I mean that's a part and I don't know if I can you know if any advice I can give to you is just that I just want to see more of that.
53:10
Thank you.
53:10
I think that that be you being out there you know with the book and with other things. You have so many things to say and I don't think right now that people
53:19
are trying to digest you in that way. We and we need to let them know. Yeah. We need to let them know. No. I know. Yeah. Yeah.
53:26
And we can also um I I mean we can do a commercial for I don't know what is it hims or you know for the hair thing.
53:34
Yeah.
53:34
And you can just make fun of me the whole time. Yeah.
53:37
And uh that'll be the commercial. I think it'll go viral.
53:40
I app you know hey we got you out there.
53:44
He don't need no hims. He don't need no purse or none of that. He looks great.
53:49
I just I just get a little shea butter and rub it on. That's I'm coming with it.
53:55
Hey And I'm going to bring I will and watch out. He's going to get people come to him like, "Wow, your head smells number one good." But then they'll be like,
54:02
"It's so shiny." And I'll say, "What do you do? Do you buff that thing?" Like nails, you know, when they buff it. Yeah.
54:09
And I'm like, "Yes." I use April Jones shave butter. Yes. That's right. Yes. Oh my god.
54:17
Well, walking commercial.
54:20
I love that for you. We love that for you. I'll get you some, too. Okay. All right. I'll take it. You got good feet. All right.
54:25
All right. That was enough said. Yep. We gonna put get that for the feet. So, you gonna put some on your feet. You gonna put some socks on and at night when you wake up in the morning, you don't have to use any lotion.
54:34
There you go. I think my wife would love that. Yeah.
54:37
Yes. I just brought their whole relationship. See you later.
54:42
So, wait, wait. You got a text from your mom? What's Yeah, she textes me when we're nearly done. Can you tell the gentleman I say
54:48
also your superpower is your tenacity. I was halfleep. can't fit find the right words for it now. I got it. Laugh out loud. Okay, enjoy your broadcast.
55:00
Hey, Paul. My mom does not say my name is April. It's Apal.
55:05
I said, "Mom, was was I really named April?" That's a whole other thing. But anyway, thanks, Mom. That's a good way.
55:10
That's awesome. All right. So, you know, there's something I want to ask. Okay.
55:15
And I'm I'm nervous. I know that you um said you're an open book, but what what is there something you can tell us, right? Tell all them less than
55:24
100enters out there something on this podcast that you've never told any you know well maybe you told a couple people but you never said it in a public forum.
55:34
Uh well if I could think of something I've saved some lives. One of them happened
55:41
to be uh Tay and um we were in it's so funny because this video went viral and we'll I'll send it to you because you might want to slice this in here. Okay.
55:52
But we were in Bora Bora and this was a funny video where he was like Bora Bali Bali Bora you know and that went but we literally did that video right before he
56:01
almost died. It's not even funny. And so we shot that video. We're in the jacuzzi which you know it's in uh not Tahiti I'm sorry. Bora Bora and it's like the little huts that are on the water.
56:10
Yeah. happen to have the hut in the back.
56:12
So the further you walk back, the deeper the water gets, right?
56:16
But they let you go into the ocean water at your discretion.
56:20
So the water looks still, I mean, it was beautiful, a beautiful sunny day. We're looking at the water, but something in my spirit didn't feel right. And he's
56:29
like, "We should jump into the ocean." And I was like, "No, we shouldn't jump into the ocean. Like, I don't feel really good about this." He's like, "No, I know you have a fear of the water and this." And I'm like, "No, Taye. I really just don't want to go into the ocean.
56:39
like something is not setting sitting right with me. And he's like, "Come on." And so I listened to him and it literally was like one ledge was here,
56:46
the next ledge was like this. And he stood uh if you come off and jump off here to the left is the ladder. So I was closest to the ladder.
56:56
He wasn't. So we jump off and I'm a good swimmer. I swam back, got off, and I see him just still here in where he jumped off. He's like literally floating. And
57:05
so I'm laughing to myself because I'm like, "Man, this man swim." And he and and so I see him kind of swimming, but he's not moving. And then he like looks
57:13
up and he's still like doing this. And I said, and I my stomach drops at that point. I'm like, "Tay swim." And he's like, "I am
57:22
swimming." And I'm like, "Oh no." So of course my like medical stuff comes into place and I'm like,
57:31
"Did you hear the music?" I promise you it was that song.
57:35
Came with a soundtrack and everything, right? So I'm like looking and I'm like, "Where's a floaty?" What? No floaty. I said, "Oh my gosh." I
57:42
like ran out to the front. No, no buoy, no floaty. I'm like, "What is happening?" I come outside. I kid you not, this man has went from here all the
57:51
way out and he's just struggling. And I'm thinking to myself, at any moment he is going to sink below and I'm not going to be able to see him. So I was like,
57:59
"Okay." I was in my head thinking, "I can go out here. I'm a good swimmer. I can go out to him. I can bring him back.
58:05
You know, thank God I didn't do that cuz we would have both died. I'm not even kidding. Something told me to just go back into the room. I tried to call the front desk. No one answered. I opened
58:13
the closet. It was two life jackets. I only grabbed one. I jumped as fast as I could into the water, swam out to him, and I gave him the life jacket. I said, "Now, come on. Let's swim." He was so
58:21
tired at this point. Now I'm thinking I'm gonna die because I'm like, "Yeah, this jacket isn't gonna hold us both up." Yeah. And he was like, "No, I realize it did.
58:29
It was holding us up." And then someone obviously came to save us. But that was the scariest thing that I ever experienced because the first thing that flashed in my mind was my daughter and
58:37
my son. Yeah. And it was like, oh, I'm about to die and what is that g I can't go out like this.
58:42
Like there's no way. So that happened, right? And another time and I'm always out the country. What is up? Yeah.
58:49
The other time I was in Costa Rica. We were drinking, waiting for these people to go on these ATVs. We should have never drank. That was the problem. So
58:57
while we were waiting, we had a couple little shots. We came back, got on our ATVs. We go up the mountain, everything's fine, it's beautiful. I'm with my girl Connor. We come down and
59:05
she's just like smoking down like V. And I'm like, "Oh boy, this isn't going to end well." She was going way too fast.
59:11
Next thing you know, literally was a puff of dust. And I'm like, "Oh." And then the bike is rolling with nobody on it. And I'm like, "Cut her. Cut her." And I like literally jump off my bike.
59:21
She's in a ditch. She's like, "Oh my breast, my breast implants." And I'm like, "Oh." So I go up and I'm trying to touch. Everything's fine. I go down. I'm checking her body. Does does this hurt?
59:30
Does this hurt? She has a branch, a whole tree right through her shin.
59:36
I'm like, and she's not complaining about that. Yeah.
59:40
So, I'm down there trying to like get as much as I can out and then I'm realizing like, wow. Like, no, this is in this is in there. This is in your leg. Like, you're going to have to do some surgery
59:47
to remove this, right? Are you going to get some gang green up in there? Right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, we end up going to the hospital.
59:53
They didn't speak uh clearly our language was really hard. They did the X-rays, which I read. So, I was able to see it and look at it and then they put
1:00:02
her on the table and I'm like looking at them doing it and I'm like, "This is not right. You guys are not doing this right." They were willing to They didn't cut the skin part. So, it's like you
1:00:09
couldn't see what was still left. I said, "No, you got to cut the skin. You got to open it up to make sure that all the tree is out." Thank God. I said, "Uh-uh."
1:00:18
So, I end up scrubbing in, believe it or not, Costa Rica. I scrubbed in. Believe it or not, she said, "No, I only trust
1:00:24
her." I put my gloves on. I I literally took a scalp scalpel and cut open her leg. We numbed it. I opened it up and
1:00:34
got literally all of the tree out of her leg and then sewed her up. I You cannot make this up. Wow. I am no surgeon. Wow.
1:00:42
I am no surgeon. I am nobody's doctor.
1:00:45
and did they and but that day I was and I didn't have to go to school.
1:00:52
I take no test to be all that I wanted to be. I I became a doctor that day.
1:01:01
I became a doctor.
1:01:02
So what were what I just I just have to ask what were the other doctors doing?
1:01:05
What were they what were they they just looking at me and then they were just because they saw that I knew what I was doing. Okay. And so they were like, "Okay." Like literally, it was like once
1:01:14
I sewed her up, they were just like, "Great." Wow.
1:01:16
And they let us go. They saw I was I was in that thing. I was like, I I don't think you should go out of the country.
1:01:23
Anyone that knows me on my page and follows me, the reason why I travel alone is because I am sick of saving lives.
1:01:33
It's a joke, but no, like I travel by myself. But maybe that's partial reason cuz every time I travel with someone, it's always some horror story drama. Yeah. Wow.
1:01:42
So yeah, that's my that's my story in my journey.
1:01:45
Well Well, first you heard it first on less than 1%. Yes.
Apryl Jones is a physician, healthcare professional, and reality TV star whose career uniquely bridges medicine, leadership, and public storytelling. Known for her authenticity and resilience, Apryl uses her platform to advocate for mental health, healing, and holistic wellness, particularly for women in healthcare. Through her work in medicine and her visibility in entertainment, she challenges stereotypes, expands representation, and leads with empathy, purpose, and impact.
For more on Apryl Jones and her work, check her out on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprylsjones/?hl=en