Community Corner

Help Michigan Sextuplets Who Lost Their Dad

The father of Michigan's first surviving sextuplets died of a heart attack just after setting up a trampoline for his children in the family's backyard.

The Michigan sextuplets who lost their dad to a heart attack earlier this month are receiving an outpouring of support from community members who want to help. 

Ben Van Houten, 39, was the father of Michigan’s first surviving sextuplets. He died April 9 just after he had  set up a trampoline in the family’s back yard and was playing with his children

Friends of the family have set up a YouCaring fundraising page to help support the family. John, Gerrit, Samantha, Nolan, Peyton and Kennedy were the first group of six multiples to survive in Michigan. Two of the children have cerebral palsy and require special care.

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"Ben had to have a big heart in order to give so much love to so many lucky children who knew him as their dad," the description of the YouCaring page says. "You can tell by the pictures that this was a family that embraced what it meant to love one another unconditionally."

Ben's wife, Amy Van Houten, gave birth to the sextuplets, now 10, in January 2004 at 23 to 25 weeks’ gestation on Jan. 7, 16 and 17, 2004, at DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids.

Donations can be made to the YouCaring page or mailed to Van Houten Children’s Trust; c/o, Macatawa Bank; 4758 136th Ave.; Hamilton, MI 49419.

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