Minor League Player and His Girlfriend Convert Old Bus into an Amazing Home
Talk about a magic school bus.
Minor league relief pitcher, Jack Labosky, and his girlfriend Madi Hiatt are getting ready to live their best, erm, bus life in a 1999 Blue Bird International school bus they purchased from a private school in Lynchburg, Virginia.
As the AP reports, the move was conceived as a financial strategy — Madi is in school for her masters degree and Jack made only $5,000 during his first season of ball — but it has blossomed into an exciting experience for the couple, who have created an instagram account to chronicle their lives @thegreatbusadventure.
“It had crayons and candy wrappers and homework under the seats,” Jack told the AP. “It was kind of crazy driving it home.”
The recent college grads have taken on a lot of DIY-responsibility to turn the bus into a comfortable living environment. After 90 days of renovations, with Madi handling most of the design and Jack taking on the bulk of the construction (the couple did almost everything without bringing in outside help), the "J&M Express" is ready for business. If their teamwork sounds familiar, they big HGTV fans, as TODAY reported, and yes, Fixer Upper is their favorite.
Tasks the couple took on ranged from ripping out old seating to installing new flooring. They also painted the exterior of the bus white — which looks quite sleek — because white paint was the most affordable option. Total cost including the bus? Around $13,000.
Before and after with the bathroom door! Privacy is key 😉So close to being finished 🙌🏼 #J&MExpress
A post shared by J&M Express (@thegreatbusadventure) on Feb 19, 2019 at 4:52pm PST
For now, the bus will stay in Durham, North Carolina (Jack is a Duke alum) while Jack awaits his next assignment which could take him to play for minor league team Bowling Green Hot Rods in Bowling Green, Kentucky, or keep him in Florida where he was most recently called up with the Tampa Bay Rays. Either way, the couple looks forward to sharing their first tiny home on wheels together.
A post shared by J&M Express (@thegreatbusadventure) on Feb 21, 2019 at 6:00pm PST
Far from primitive, the bus has electrical wiring, water pipes, heating, and air conditioning. It also features a stove, full-sized bed, toilet, and even a shower in the meager 172.5-square-feet of space.
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Do we sense an HGTV contract in the works for this young couple? Fixer Upper Bus Edition could very well be the network's next big hit.
