A retired school bus is receiving a colorful transformation before taking its new owners on a breast cancer awareness mission across three states, reported WSFA 12.
Jodie and Tom Fritz of Montgomery plan to travel in the bright pink bus to breast cancer events throughout Alabama, Georgia and Florida. A sign along the side of the vehicle asks, “Where’s JoJo?”
The couple’s plans reportedly began taking shape after Jodie was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in May 2025, despite undergoing annual screenings. Although traveling and living aboard a converted school bus was not originally part of their retirement plans, Jodie said the idea gradually won her over.
“He talked about it. It started growing on me, then I actually saw the school bus and thought, ‘We’re really doing this thing,’” she said via the article.
The diagnosis reportedly prompted different emotional reactions from the couple. Jodie said she initially felt numb, while Tom said he was angry. He eventually turned those emotions into action, flying to Columbus, Ohio, to purchase a 42-passenger school bus.
According to the article, Tom drove the bus back to Alabama, painted it pink and named it “Where’s JoJo?” The couple plans to depart Oct. 1 and share Jodie’s story with people facing breast cancer, as well as their families and caregivers.
Jodie said she hopes the journey encourages others to prioritize screenings, regardless of their age. “Get checked when you’re young,” she said via the report. “Breast cancer doesn’t discriminate on age.”
For Tom, the trip is intended to provide encouragement while allowing the couple to make lasting memories together.
“The story, I thought, would inspire people that are going through it, whether it’s the person going through it or the person helping them,” he said via the article. “For me, it’s to make the memories.”
Tom hopes to finish converting the bus by Sept. 27, several days before the couple’s planned departure. A GoFundMe campaign has reportedly been established to help cover the remaining costs of completing the vehicle.
The couple intends for the bus’s distinctive color and message to help start conversations during its journey and connect them with other people affected by breast cancer.
Written with the assistance of AI.
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