The Incredible Story of the World’s Strongest Seventh Grader
In 1954, a twelve-year-old girl named April Atkins stunned crowds at Muscle Beach, California. Weighing just 79 pounds, she displayed feats of strength that seemed impossible for someone her age.
For years, her name faded into the margins of old newspapers and dusty photo archives. Then came the rediscovery. Through photographs, school yearbooks, and official records, historians began piecing her story together. What emerged was the portrait of a girl whose brief life carried the determination of someone far beyond her age.
Performing At Muscle Beach
Image via Reddit/Electrical-Aspect-13
April Atkins gained attention in 1954 at a popular gathering spot in Santa Monica known for strongman performances. At only twelve years old, she regularly outperformed adults with ease. She lifted a combined weight of over 400 pounds and, on some occasions, up to 700. Images captured her balancing four people on her back, all while looking steady and unfazed.
Photographer Loomis Dean documented these moments for LIFE magazine, but the images were never published in print. Despite the lack of media coverage, those who witnessed her strength never forgot it. What’s interesting is that Atkins wasn’t part of a larger act or athletic team, but simply showed up and performed.
Her confidence and physical ability stood out even more due to her small frame and young age. For a short time, she was the center of attention at a place where professionals trained and performed daily.
Identifying Her Family
A closer look at one of the photos revealed a girl named Ellen Atkins, seated on top of a human pyramid supported by April. That small detail proved useful when trying to track April’s background. Public records showed April’s parents were Leonard and Mary Jane Atkins, and she had two sisters named Naomi and Deborah. Naomi’s full name was Naomi Ellen Atkins, likely the “Ellen” seen in the pictures.
The family lived in Pacific Palisades, at 942 Embury Street in Los Angeles. Her father worked as a musician, and the family appeared in the 1950 federal census. Photos taken on the roof of their home show April sitting on a chimney with the Santa Monica Mountains visible in the background. Though the original house no longer stands, its exact address helped confirm the location of several archival images.
Tracing Her School Years
Image via Getty Images/Ryan J Lane
The only known video of April Atkins references Waldo Emerson Junior High School in Los Angeles, which suggests where she studied during her time at Muscle Beach. However, a 1956 yearbook entry places her at Paul Revere Junior High School. This caused some confusion until further research showed that Paul Revere opened in 1955, which made it likely that April transferred there once the new school became available.
Later, she appeared in a 1959 yearbook from Santa Monica High School, where she was listed as April Patricia Atkins. These school records not only filled in key moments in her timeline but also confirmed her continued presence in Los Angeles through the late 1950s.
Each yearbook entry matched the expected timeline for her age. The switch in schools was consistent with how school zoning changes worked during that period.
Later Life and Final Records
At age eighteen, April Atkins married Richard D. Skyler, who was thirty-four at the time. This marriage was confirmed through public records, and it marked one of the final official entries under her original name. A few years later, a denied disability claim was filed in her name, suggesting potential health challenges. Records also confirmed her death on December 15, 1987, at the age of forty-five. After that, no further consistent documentation appeared under her name.
Some ancestry databases listed her as April Rose Skyler, and one record claimed a complete name change to Simone Montoya. That inconsistency may have been a database error, which is not uncommon in user-submitted genealogical platforms. The later years of her life remain largely undocumented, but the few verified pieces of information offer a glimpse into her adulthood.