New Staff: April Buckles

By: Daniel Puryear

April Buckles knows how it feels to be escorted away while crying and screaming.  She laughs as she thinks back to the day she encountered the Scooby-Doo rollercoaster of Kings Dominion.

Sophomore April Buckles remembers her eighth grade year for many reasons.  She had just started a new school (like she is doing now), she had finally reached her teen years, and that year she faced her fear of roller coasters.

“I hated that ‘Death Machine,’” said Buckles. “It took me hours of eating candy and riding fun rides to stop crying.”

Buckles said she was pressured by family and friends to finally ride a rollercoaster; she even rode in the middle to reduce the fear.  Buckles had courage while in the line, then when she sat down next to no one she knew and buckled in the fear and anxiety rushed into her.

“I wanted to scream the second I got on, but I held it until we started moving,” Buckles said.

Buckles screamed and sobbed the entire way up and once they went down the hill she intensified, worrying passengers around her.  One woman was so concerned she decided to wave down an employee, who stopped the ride halfway through.

When Buckles was off she felt relieved but was laughed at by her family.  She hopes to never go on a rollercoaster again or any other thrilling ride.