There are certain TV characters who have been put through the wringer, and the interns and doctors on Grey's Anatomy seem to face tragedies in their personal lives on a regular basis. While some sadness is to be expected as they're trying to save patients' lives every day, these characters deal with much more pain than most.
April Kepner has made some harsh decisions, but for the most part, she is a kind doctor with a big heart who is just trying to help people. From some tough breaks in her medical career to her love life, April has suffered quite a few times on Grey's Anatomy.
April Fails Her Board Exams
Just like passing the bar exam is the only way to become a lawyer, the gang on Grey's Anatomy needs to pass their board exams. April, unfortunately, fails them the first time.
Because April slept with Jackson (and lost her virginity to him), she has a hard time during the exam and does really badly. This is a sad moment for the character, who is a perfectionist and never thought that this would happen to her. It's also humiliating for her to fail.
Her Baby Samuel Dies
When April is expecting her baby, he gets a horrible diagnosis of Osteogenesis Imperfecta type 2, and after she gives birth to him, he doesn't survive very long.
Losing a baby is one of the most difficult and painful things that anyone can go through, and it's terrible for April and Jackson.
April And Jackson Split Up
Jackson Avery is a catch and while some fans didn't think that he should have dated April, others definitely shipped this pair. No matter what someone thinks, it's true that these two bond, and once they're in a serious relationship, they seem to have genuine love for one another.
Sadly, this couple splits up, mostly because of how raw and hurt they are after their baby passes away. This kind of tragedy is tough on many couples and they aren't able to move past it together.
April's Friend Reed Is Killed
The first season of Grey's Anatomy has some tragic times and the same thing can be said about every single season of the hospital drama.
In the sixth season episode "Death and All His Friends," Gary Clark shoots and kills Reed Adamson as he's distraught over the death of his wife. April was friends with Reed, and this is really hard for her to deal with, especially since it happens at the hospital. The storyline is like a horror movie come to life.
April Breaks Her Engagement To Matthew
While April and Matthew do get married in season 14, which took place before April was off the show, their wedding in season 10 doesn't end up happening. Jackson makes a massive declaration of love and he and April get together.
It's sad when April breaks her engagement to Matthew, as he's a sweet character who didn't deserve to go through that. Instead of telling him before the event that she didn't want to marry him, she thinks that she'll go through with it, but then runs away mid-ceremony. Even though she loves Jackson and wants to be with him, it's still painful for her to lose Matthew and the dream of being with him.
Everyone Laughs At April's Virginity
It's not often that a character on a TV drama or sitcom will say that they're a virgin, and this was something that was unique about April Kepner.
At the beginning of Grey's Anatomy, everyone finds out that she hasn't had sex, and they tease her and make her feel horrible about it. This is definitely one of the saddest things that has happened to April, as she's just trying to stay true to herself, feel comfortable, and do well at her new job. It's hard to be the laughingstock of the office (or in this case, the hospital) for personal choices that aren't anyone else's business.
She Doesn't Have Jackson's Mom's Love
Richard and Catherine have a tough relationship and it's fair to say that Jackson's mother isn't easy for anyone to get along with. She's intimidating, independent, and doesn't make friends easily.
Catherine never seems to be a fan of April's, and every time she hears something new about their romance, she isn't pleased. She's not immediately on board when she learns about their marriage and it never seems like she's happy. Marrying into a family can be tough, and April learns that her mother-in-law isn't going to make things easy for her.
She Feels Lost In Season 14
Season 14 is a sad one for April Kepner. She had always been religious, and after going through so much heartache, she wonders if she can trust her faith. It's also difficult for April to get divorced, as she didn't expect to, and it takes a while for her to be okay with that.
This is one of the saddest things about April, especially since she can't talk about it with the other characters. They are much more cynical than she is, so they might not understand her suffering.
She Has Harriet After Things Don't Work Out With Jackson
After loving April, Jackson dates Vic, and it's hard to deny that he and April still have a connection even after their relationship fizzles out.
When April learns that she's pregnant again, it's bittersweet as she and Jackson had already broken up. She has a baby girl and names her Harriet. While they both love this baby so much, it's hard for them to be reminded of how much they cared about each other and how bad things got between them.
She Has A Custody Battle That Becomes A Disaster
After Catherine wants Jackson to get full custody of Harriet, April actually gets a restraining order against Jackson. This is a totally wild action and one that doesn't make much sense. Thankfully, the former couple starts getting along again and they want to co-parent nicely and peacefully.
Even though there are other TV shows about medicine that are top-notch, fans can't stop watching Grey's Anatomy as the characters' storylines are always entertaining, and the Jackson/April custody storyline was super emotional.