Excuse Me, But Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me About the 1994 UFO Sighting in West Michigan?

For better or for worse some of my earliest childhood memories involve running around the house while classic TV shows like Doogie Howser M.D., Rescue 911, and Unsolved Mysteries played in the background. Like anyone else, anytime I hear the eerie notes of the Unsolved Mysteries theme song I get chills.

Needless to say the supernatural show and its host Robert Stack played a major role in my obsession with the unexplained. For example, the episode featuring spontaneous human combustion is one that lives in my mind rent-free.

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I was elated to hear new episodes of Netflix's Unsolved Mysteries reboot were being released on October 18, but like many residents throughout West Michigan, I was shocked when an episode featuring our very own lakeshore began to play. As someone who literally has a UFO tattoo, how did I not know about this infamous and unexplained sighting? Caution: Something in the Sky spoilers ahead.

March 8, 1994

On a cold March evening, 911 dispatchers in the Holland area began to receive calls regarding strange lights in the night sky. The four floating lights seemed to hover above the ground but eye-witnesses say the night was eerily silent, which leads one to believe the objects weren't planes or helicopters.

Authorities reached out to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Muskegon which was able to pick up the anomalies on the radar. Jack Bushong, who was on duty that night at the NWS-Muskegon, spent his shift tracking the objects on the radar until 2 a.m. the following morning. Bushong claims he has never seen anything like this and believes the objects were able to travel over 2000+ mph.

What Could It Be?

Throughout the night authorities received nearly 300 concerned calls regarding the mysterious lights. Thankfully the calls were recorded including the call from the Ottawa County Dispatch to Jeff Bushong at the NWS. With so many reports corroborating the same events you have to wonder: can all these people be wrong?

UFOs in Michigan

Those who study the subject believe Michigan is a hotspot for UFO activity due to our proximity to the Great Lakes, claiming water heightens paranormal activity-- and we've certainly got a lot of water here! In fact, Michigan is in the Top 10 states for UFO sightings with over 50 UFO sightings reported here in 2021.

I was 5 years old in 1994, so I don't remember any of this commotion or the fallout that ensued, but the Michigan UFO sighting became so infamous it was covered by national news outlets including Larry King Live. I've always heard about the events at Hillsdale College, but I'm surprised no one is still talking about the happening here in west Michigan.

Do you recall the peculiar events of March 8, 1994? If you have any additional information to share with Unsolved Mysteries you can do so here.