Volunteer James Free was sorting through items in the Portland Rescue Mission’s donation bin when something shiny caught his eye.
Amid all the usual hand-me-downs was a pair of bright gold men’s sneakers without so much as a scuff on them.
He didn’t yet know it, but he’d stumbled upon a pair of extremely rare Nike Air Jordan 3s, custom made for director Spike Lee ahead of the 2019 Academy Awards.
The shoes are now up for auction by Sotheby’s, which estimates they will fetch as much as $20,000 US (about $26,750 Cdn) for the mission. The organization has helped people struggling with homelessness, hunger and addiction since 1949.
“Those shoes are going to provide thousands of meals for people that we serve,” Erin Holcomb, the mission’s director of staff ministry, told As It Happens host Nil Köksal.
“It’s just a really beautiful picture of generosity.”
Or was it an incredibly lucky catch after someone, even if they meant well, did something incredibly stupid? Because what are the chances those shoes would have just ended up on someone’s feet? If you’re going to donate $20,000 shoes and don’t want anyone to know you did it, leave it in a wrapped present at the door or something.
And leave a note explaining what it is and what it is worth!