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Grand Rapids family of 6 sick with flu, 'very grateful' for stranger who plowed their driveway

A man's random act of kindness came at just the right time for a family of six over the weekend.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Many were out shoveling or snow blowing all weekend long, as lake effect snow slammed West Michigan with over a foot of snow in some areas.

But on Grand Rapids' Westside, a kind deed is warming the hearts of one family of six.

Heather Golliver says one of her four children brought home the flu, and it spread to everyone except her husband, George. 

When the snowstorm arrived, George was on day three of taking care of the entire family.

He came inside after shoveling and immediately told his wife to check the Ring camera footage, which is pointed at their driveway. 

She saw the moment a stranger pulled up to their driveway with his plow.

"He just he told my husband, 'take a load off, take it easy, you know, don't worry about it,'" Heather said.

Heather posted the video to the Grand Rapids Westside group "We are Westsiders" with the following message:

"THANK YOU! To this kind stranger who drove by and saw my husband shoveling our driveway and offered a helping hand to plow it. What you didn’t know is that myself as well as two of our kiddos have been sick with influenza A this week and he’s been holding down the fort and picking up all the slack. So your random act of kindness is so greatly appreciated! Merry Christmas!"

Tony Beurkens is a retired Grand Rapids firefighter and union leader. He says he picked up a plow for his truck years ago to help out friends and family, mostly on the Westside.

"I've helped people before and they asked, 'Well, what do I owe you?' I said, 'next time you see somebody who needs a hand, give them one,'" said Beurkens. 

Beurkens says when he saw George out shoveling, he didn't think twice about helping out.  

"That snowplow driver didn't know that my husband's family was in the house sick and that for the last four days, my husband has been doing literally everything around the house." 

Beurkens returned to the Golliver's house the next day to plow once more, but ever humbly, he says it wasn't a big deal.

"It was just the right place, right time," he said.

Heather says she plans to continue spreading his kindness as soon as she's healthy.

"My kids and I, we're gonna find something to do to pass that joy on so somebody else can have a little piece of that, too," she said.

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