Heavy metal legends Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper are just a few of Buddy Hooker’s favorite musical acts, so it was a bit out of the ordinary when Hooker, a 56-year-old bus driver for Abbott Trailways, happened to have a Cher DVD playing on his bus as he took the Virginia women’s lacrosse team to the ACC Tournament in Maryland late last month.
“It was just the most bizzare thing,” recalled Virginia senior Whit Hagerman.
One Cher song in particular, “Believe,” has become an anthem of sorts for UVa following the slaying of Yeardley Love on May 3. Men’s player George Huguely has been charged with first-degree murder in the case.
Some of the most poignant moments of Virginia’s 14-12 first-round NCAA Tournament win over Towson on Sunday occurred when the song was played at Klockner Stadium. The song’s chorus bellows, “Do you believe in life after love?”
“That was one of our more recent team memories with Yeardley included,” said Hagerman, referring to the bus trip to the ACC Tournament, “and it just reminds us of how happy we were.
“To have that played before and after the game, it’s just a little reminder of what we’ve been through and how special a group of girls this really is.”
“That Cher soundtrack goes out to Buddy, our bus driver,” said Virginia coach Julie Myers, at the conclusion of her postgame press conference on Sunday.
When reached on Monday, Myers didn’t think there was any way that Hooker would have any recollection of her team — or the trip that they took together back on April 22. After all, it was the first and only time Hooker had driven them.
However, Hooker — a retired law enforcement official who now works part time for Abbott and has driven many college sports teams — said he not only remembers the team, but was inspired by them. The Martinsville resident said he was blown away by how friendly and positive members of the Virginia’s team were.
“You see all kinds of terrible things in law enforcement,” said Hooker, a former deputy sheriff in Henry County. “You become hardened by a lot of stuff.
“They just kind of renewed my faith in the younger generation, so to speak.”
So much so that Hooker went a little outside of his usual musical comfort zone when he popped in the DVD of Cher’s farewell tour.
“It’s a great music video I think — awesome if you like major production-type stuff,” said Hooker, who has a young daughter of his own. “And it’s real upbeat, which is something I thought the girls would like, as opposed to something like country music or heavy metal or something.”
Hooker said he was heartbroken when he learned about what happened to Love. He’s followed the story on the news ever since. Hooker specifically remembered Love.
“I was trying to find her bag underneath [the bus] and she said it had number one on it,” Hooker recalled. “I said, ‘No. 1, well that must mean you’re pretty good if you’re No. 1,’ and she smiled. She was a sweet girl.”
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