Missing man's family speaks out

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Michael VanBuskirk's oldest son has a simple wish: he wants his dad home before his 12th birthday.

"I love him and I miss him and I wish he would show up," said Jordan, VanBuskirk's oldest son.

VanBuskirk has three sons: 11-year-old Jordan, 10-year-old Tucker and 6-year-old Payton.

"I have them saying, 'Why hasn't he called?' And I can't tell them, 'cause I don't know," said Katie Cook, Michael VanBuskirk's ex-wife.

She said they've been asking daily where their dad is.

VanBuskirk is one of two men who haven't been seen since the bizarre fender bender traffic crash in Allegan county where police found an unexplained pool of blood on a mattress in Harold Ordways truck.

Shortly thereafter, it became apparent that two men he knew well were no where to be found.

Paul Atchley, a transient man with no known family in the area, is also missing. VanBuskirk lived with Ordway and Atchley at a home in Battle Creek.

Investigators have searched woods and homes. So far, they have not found any trace of Atchley or VanBuskirk.

"Sometimes we ate cucumbers together and sometimes we snuggle on the couch," Payton VanBuskirk remembered.

Police say they suspect foul play in Vanbuskirk's disappearance. But that's about all they can say.

"I really hope that anybody that knows something would say something," said Cook.

Ordway was arrested at the scene of the crash for unrelated charges.

Police said he has not been able to give a sensible explanation for that blood in the bed of his truck.