Van Houten Sextuplets: Father Dies Tragically After Trampoline Setup, Aged 39

Ben Van Houten, the father of the well-known Van Houten sextuplets, died tragically on Wednesday from a heart attack after setting up a trampoline in his family’s backyard.

Van Houtem, who worked for many years at TUV/SUD, a German company that bought out EST Testing Solutions in Holland, was just 39 years old at the time of his death.

His father-in-law, Calvin Reimink, speaking about Van Houten, who served as a deacon at Calvary Baptist Church in Holland, said, “He was always spending time with the kids.”

The famous Van Houten sextuplets were born in January 2004, and are now 10-years-old. They are the first surviving group of six multiples to have been born in Michigan.

Two of the children require special care due to the fact they have cerebral palsy; they have another younger sibling, 7-year-old Drew.

The untimely death of Ben is a terrible shock to the family who are struggling to cope with the tragedy. His father, John Van Houten, died of a heart attack when he was aged 40.

Ben Van Houten was a man of God and taught his children to love and respect The Almighty. When they misbehaved he would reprimand them softly, often quoting verses from the Bible.

Reimink said about his son-in-law: “Just to know Ben for even one day would be a blessing.”

Van Houten’s desk at TUV/SUD in Holland, where he had worked for about 17 years, was still decorated with his personal belongings, including pictures of his family.

Vice president of testing at the company said that Van Houten was a hard worker and proficient in his job building test equipment: “He will be greatly missed. We’re going to do our best to support his memory and his family,” Dykstra said.

The loss of the Van Houten sextuplets’ father is being felt deeply by the family who are doing their best, according to reports, to come to terms with their new reality.