Michigan Heroes Museum honors Midland native who passed away during deployment

FRANKENMUTH, Mich.—The Michigan Heroes Museum is unveiling a new display to honor Army Specialist Levi Hoover, who was killed by an IED in 2007.

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The museum invited the Hoover family and State Rep. Bill Schuette to see the new display.

Dani Hoover, Levi’s younger sister, describes him as an outdoorsman that loved his family and his country.

Levi with his mom and sister at his bootcamp graduation .png

“He was a loving kid. You know funny, good sense of humor, hardworking and just really honorable about that call to service” said Dani Hoover.

He was also interested in a job in law enforcement after doing several ride along’s before his military service.

At 23-years-old Levi Hoover joined the army to become a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne.

Levi would be deployed to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

He went on multiple combat patrols but on April 7th, 2007, he would die from an improvised explosive device.

“They were out on a combat patrol like they would normally do and they ran into an IED, an explosive device. Levi hoover as well as three other army soldiers passed away on that day” Douglas Kolar, wrote Levi’s story at the Michigan Heroes Museum, said.

The men killed were Hoover, Specialist Ebe F. Emolo, Private First Class Rodney L. McCandless, and Captain Jonathan D. Grassbaugh.

Dani Hoover is working with State Rep. Bill Schuette to name a section of US-10 in Midland County after her brother.

It’s been passed in the house and is awaiting approval in the senate.

Now, Levi’s legacy will live on at the Michigan Heroes Museum among hundred of other heroic stories just like his.

Levi Hoover’s display at the Michigan Heroes Museum .png

Even with Levi’s passing his memories and patriotism is not being forgotten by his family.

His nephew is following in his footsteps and ships off to Navy bootcamp in December.