HUDSONVILLE, Mich. — What usually happens at a bus stop? Red lights blink, cars stop, and passengers get on and off.
Recently in Hudsonville — there was a bus stop like no other. Nobody needed to get on board.
Yet, a terminally ill man still enjoyed a ride — with a heartfelt message.
For nine years, Mike Hoekstra was a bus driver for Hudsonville Public Schools. “When I joined bus driving nine years ago, I didn't know I was going to join a family,” Hoekstra said.
However, in February of 2022, Hoekstra's life was changed forever — he was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer. “Cancer has progressed in my liver," Hoekstra explained. "They said I only have so many weeks to live.”
One of Hoekstra's dying wishes was to ride in a hot air balloon with his wife and four kids. “It was always something that I wanted to do,” Hoekstra said.
Still, Hoekstra had no idea that his fellow bus drivers from Hudsonville Public Schools were going to surprise him while he was flying in the air. Bus driver Teresa Rens, who helped organize the surprise, explaind, “A couple of the drivers got together and decided it would be cool if we put a message out there for him to see once he was up in the air.”
So, several Hudsonville bus drivers parked their buses in a field and spelled out "We love you," which Hoekstra was able to see as he floated above it. “I was really, really struck by that," Hoekstra said.
According to Rens, roughly 50 bus drivers and their families gathered to support Hoekstra. “We just wanted them all to know that we truly love him and his family, and he just means a lot to us,” Rens said.
While his days may be numbered, Hoekstra remains faithful. “No matter what, God is good," Hoekstra said. "No matter what happens, He is with me.”
Hoekstra says he's spending his final days at home with his wife, Jennifer, and his four children.
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