AstroBoy Online Forums

It is with a heavy heart that I need to inform this forum of the death of one of our members. Nancy Karp, known to ABOL as AprilSeven passed away on November 6th from a two year fight with cancer.

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/recor ... =197074804

I became friends with her shortly after offering to donate my old laptop to another member (Little Brown Fox) when she offered to pay for the shipping. So together we were able to provide a less fortunate Astro fan with better access to our forum.

Nancy and I exchanged emails, and phone calls on and off for nearly eight years. We also sent each other birthday cards, and small gifts. We were able to meet in person twice when I was visiting relatives in the NYC area. Nancy and her husband Steve drove into the city, and my wife and I took the LIRR from my sisters house, and then transferred to the subway to meet her. One of our get togethers was at the Museum of Natural History, after which we had dinner at a Japanese restaurant.

Nancy was a talented computer artist, who made brochures for various organizations. (Steve Karp is also a talented graphic designer). She was also a choral singer, painter, cook, and Gardener.

Both of us have written stories posted on FanFiction.net, and have critiqued each other's work. I was always delighted to find her reviews on my fan fiction, especially when I was able to bring some joy into her life after the issues she complained about from where she was employed. I created an original character named June Trout, that appeared in several of my stories. The character was 'named' for Nancy as the stories involved some personal anecdotes that we had shared. Nancy enjoyed the 'treatment'.

Nancy was also writing an original Fan Fiction story on the site, but regretfully has not finished it. With only a chapter or two more to go, it will remain like one of Schubert's Symphonies, a work of art frozen in time.

ABOL has lost a valuable contributor, moderator, and die hard Astro fan. This forum will feel a bit lonely without her presence. RIP AprilSeven, and my sorrow for your loss, Steve Karp.

Having been with the mod team for 7 years and a member of this site for nearly 10 years, I got to know AprilSeven pretty well. Sadly, the mod team has been aware of April's, or Nancy's, health issues for a while.

She was a light wherever we went. She was always friendly to everyone. She would always go out of her way to help people.

As a moderator, she would offer valuable viewpoints on moderation situations that the other moderators would simply have not thought of. She often thought outside the box, which was not a bad thing. The mod team valued her and her input as a moderator.

I even remember getting to talk to her once or twice through the Astro Boy Online Forums Skype Meetings, and she was always very friendly.

Tetsuwan Penguin, I am very sorry for your loss of a friend and fellow Astro Boy fan from the same generation and I offer my condolences to AprilSeven's family and friends during this time.

I've always been kind of a shy poster so we didn't get to talk too much, but every time we did, she was always kind and supportive of my creative efforts, even way back when I was 13 and really embarrassing. I always loved reading her posts, though, as she had a lot of really good and unique insights (and she was a fellow Cobalt fan, to boot!)

She was always sure to PM me links to unique Astro resources, and it was thanks to her that I was able to view the undubbed 60s episodes for the first time, which proved not only to greatly inspire me in terms of fan content, but also allowed me to get enough screenshots to eventually create a silly blog on tumblr called outofcontextcobalt.

She had a huge positive impact on me and even though we didn't talk as much as I now wish we could have, I always thought fondly of her and every time I bring up my time on this forum to people, she would always be the first member I mentioned. I look at old messages from her and I can't help but cry a little. She was such a wonderful human being and I'll never forget her.

What sticks most in my mind when I think of Nancy/AprilSeven is how supportive she was of everyone, and especially our artists. No matter whether they were very experienced or whether it was their first attempt at writing a fanfic or at drawing, she was always so encouraging! She took the time to read and comment.

We almost met when I went to New York City in 2012, but the week I visited, she expected to be called for cataract surgery at any time and couldn't commit. Still, when I expressed I had the jitters before leaving (nothing out of the ordinary, I always do when I'm about to go on a trip to a foreign country), she gave me her phone number, Steve's and told me that if I had any trouble, she had friends in the city. I never expected anything like this!

Tetsuwan Penguin, you had become the closest to her in this community and I'm very sorry for your loss. I've also thought of her husband Steve very much lately since I knew he was caring for her. I appreciate very much that Steve took the time to share news with Tetsuwan Penguin - who in turn was able to let us know. I thank both of you for that. I offer you my most sincere condolences and to her other family members and friends as well.

Sporkia wrote:I've always been kind of a shy poster so we didn't get to talk too much, but every time we did, she was always kind and supportive of my creative efforts, even way back when I was 13 and really embarrassing. I always loved reading her posts, though, as she had a lot of really good and unique insights (and she was a fellow Cobalt fan, to boot!)

We basically posted the same thing within a minute of each other...

I am sure Steve will be moved to read this directly from you.

The mod team has decided to give AprilSeven's account an honorary user title, in place of where it says "Moderator" below her username. We are still brainstorming on what that user title will be.

We will also be moving her account off of the moderator team list since she is sadly no longer able to perform her duties as a moderator. Again, I speak for the mod team when I say that we appreciate her time as a moderator, but now she will live on on the forums with her honorary user title. We will of course inform you all of what that user title name is when we decide on it.

I'm so sorry to hear this! Nancy was one of the first people to really stand out to me when I first joined this forum. She was super friendly and easy to talk to.

Cancer sucks.

RIP Nancy and my condolences to her family.

Nancy always had amazing insight and we often had great conversations about Astro Boy and the trajectory of the future. She was welcoming, fair and wise and always supportive. As a moderator I always looked forward to her input when we were discussing a troubling event or how to soothe an angry member (though fortunately those were VERY RARE). I never met her in person, but we did exchange Christmas cards as part of a tradition. I kept them all and this year I think I will post them all on my mantle in her memory.

This year has been particularly hard for me an cancer, my mom having been taken from me by it last month and now a dear friend. I look forward to the day when we do finally cure cancer.

The greatest of condolences to Steve, this is a terrible time to go through a loss.

It is time to inform you all of the custom user title the mod team has decided to give AprilSeven:

Silent Song.

The name was brought about following a suggestion behind the scenes from Tetsuwan Penguin, combined with the fact that April/Nancy was a singer.

There is a bit more to it:

I would also like to inform you all that I have restored the banner image in AprilSeven's signature, which was created by Alittleacorn a long time ago. The image had not worked for a number of years, likely since our forums transferred forum software back in 2017. This is the image, which many of you who were active on the forums in the early to mid 2010s will remember:



The words in this banner image come from a song. Here is my message to the mods when deciding upon the "Silent Song" user title:

Shiyonasan wrote:I decided to look up the words in the image in April's signature, and they are the title and lyrics of a song called "Bring On The Wonder" by Susan Enan (Sarah McLachlan also has covered the song). It is a song featured in a 2006 episode of the TV show Bones. It's actually a pretty nice song after looking both versions up and listening to them; I prefer the Susan Enan version. I'm not familiar with the song or the show (heard of the show before but never watched it).

In the chorus, after Enan sings "bring on the wonder", she sings "bring on the song".

Considering how April was friendly to so many people on and off the forums, considering she was a singer, and considering how nice the song "Bring On The Wonder" is, I am in favor of choosing "Silent Song" as the custom user title for AprilSeven.

I am in tears, im so upset at her loss

Edit: I didnt know April Seven well, but her comments and when we did have small conversation within the forum. It was a pleasure knowing April, and I miss her dearly