April Star Sylvia was born on April 16, 1995 and left too soon on September 19, 2026. She was the daughter of Tori Lee Sylvia, Donald Howerton, Sr., Deverous Frank and Rudolph Colegrove and the wife of Eagle Moon and great-granddaughter of George Bailey. April was born on Easter Sunday and spent the first few years of her life by the name Easter Bunny. Throughout her life, April had three fathers and was raised in a very large blended family with an abundance of siblings and she loved all of them. As a child she traveled with her parents in a huge Suburban with stick figures representing each member of her family and pets and there were so many that they wrapped around the entire back window. As her mother’s only daughter, she was always looking out for David “Lil’Dave”, Little Deverous, Namechi, Taora, Darren, Daryl & Dyani. April is preceded in death by her mother Tori Lee, her brothers Donald and Derek and her auntie Paula Dae.
April was beautiful. And she was as real as they come. She was born and raised in Weitchpec and had the character to show for it. She was open and direct and wickedly honest with a huge loving spirit that extended to her entire community. She was all strength and resilience yet warm and loving. April had a fantastic sense of humor and lived her life with joy and laughter. She weathered life’s knocks with grace and always kept her head up.
When April became a mother, she changed her entire outlook on life with her sons placed right at the center. She was completely dedicated to Eagle and Mowgli and she showed up for them in every way. She built a secure and healthy life for her sons and she ensured that they were provided for. When she decided to pursue her firefighting career, she made sure she had people there to support her. One of the main people that stood up during that time was her Uncle George, who truly loved her babies and cared for them as his own.
She was also tough as hell — even her fellow firefighters were impressed by her sheer strength and determination. At the firehall, she became the on-site work mom. She was known for bossing her coworkers around and because she was coming from a place of love, they listened and respected her for it. She was a champion and a mother figure to many. She took it upon herself to build the skills and responsibilities she needed to address a cause. Whether it was for her family or co-workers, she was always looking for ways to help. She was a good friend to many. She enjoyed a variety of people and she appreciated them for who they were. She was a very gracious person and if you were one of her people, she made sure you knew it.
Once in reference to her and her sons, she said, “It will always be us.” We lost them. But they never lost each other. April lived her life well and will be terribly missed. Our family wants to acknowledge April’s large family, too numerous to name — aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. We know you loved her and she loved you.
Little Eagle and Hawk Mowgli Moon went on one last adventure with their Mama April Moon on September 19, 2026, on their way to Rare Air Trampoline Park in Redding.
Eagle, born October 27, 2020, was social and curious and likely got that from Eagle, Sr. Little Eagle was a wonderful storyteller and could engage people ten times his age without missing a beat. One of his famous quotes is that, “Kids don’t have brains, only hearts.” He was excited about his upcoming birthday and told everyone he encountered. Baby Eagle was a creative type, drawing, writing, and taking things apart to see how they worked. When last asked, he said he wanted to be a cop when he grew up, which aligned with his nature to look out for his little brother.
Hawk came into the world quickly, on December 10, 2021, only giving his Mom enough time to get down the hill from their family home to be born at the clinic in Weitchpec. He had a mellower disposition. He was a gentle soul who showed affection through touch rather than with words. He preferred his people and sometimes just his own company. That trait he likely got from April. From a young age he’d wander off to find his own quiet place and he’d just quietly raise an eyebrow at anyone who called him back. He understood crowd control better than most adults. Mowgli was more of an observer compared to his brother, but they were thick as thieves to the delight of everyone.
The boys are survived by their Father Eagle Moon, Sr.; brothers Anthony and Robert Moon; grandmother Geraldine Moon; grandfathers Rudolph Colegrove, Sr., Donald Howerton and Deverous Frank, Sr.; aunts Cherri (Marvin), Taora and Namechi Frank, Tschayo Moon; uncles Daedae and Josh Moon, David and Darren Howerton, Daryl, Dyani and Deverous Frank. Honorary mention to their Uncle George, who would drive all the way to Weitchpec to babysit, or keep them at Bailey Flat. As well as their best friend and cousin Jasper.
Eagle and Hawk were raised to let people know they loved them and were in return loved by a very large extended family, for anyone we may have missed, we apologize and know that you made up a village for two wonderful little souls.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, September 26 at 11 a.m. at the Tulley Creek Fire Station in Weitchpec. A firefighter procession in honor of April’s service will begin at the Hoopa Fire Station at 9 a.m. Food to be served. The Interment will follow at a later date.
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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of the Moon family’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.
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