LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - It's an auction drawing worldwide attention starting Wednesday in Central Arkansas.
Homes, personal belongings and loads of collectibles are for sale, all from the prominent Jennings Osborne family of Little Rock. You may recall he died last summer, leaving behind a legacy of massive philanthropy.
It's certainly not easy for Osborne's loved ones to reach this point, seeing their homes and so many memories inside boxed up for auction. His daughter Breezy Osborne-Wingfield says that she won't be at the auction Wednesday when her child-home goes up for sale. But she may attend others later this week, letting go of a rich family history now available for the public to experience.
We all knew the late Jennings Osborne as a man with a massive heart to help Arkansans. But he had a few personal habits that we may not have known about.
"One thing I don't think people realized is that my parents never threw away anything, ever," Breezy Osborne-Wingfield said.
Daughter Breezy Osborne-Wingfield shares a little insight into her Dad.
"He would print off every e-mail, he saved and archived every single piece, even cardboard from like the kind that little kids would make cards with," Breezy Osborne-Wingfield said.
It all grew into a huge collection of family belongings that's now filling the garage along its Cantrell Road home. Tons more fill a North Little Rock warehouse as Osborne's loved ones sell it off.
"We are grateful for what it can bring but at the same time there's a huge nervousness," Breezy Osborne-Wingfield said.
It's anxiety over the this week's auction to pay off family debt, triggered by Osborne's intense desire to both give and spend.
"We've had interest from all over the world at this point," Thomas Blackmon, Jr. said.
Auctioneer Thomas Blackmon, Jr. says even some unnamed celebrities have expressed interest. But everyone, famous or not, gets a shot here.
"You're going to see prices on stuff from $5 to $50,000 or $60,000 for some of them," Blackmon said.
The rarities include a Babe Ruth signed baseball and signed autographed pictures of Fidel Castro, Mother Teresa and Joe DiMaggio.
"Dad had this brilliant idea to fill our tornado room with video games like the kind you would find in an arcade so there's Pac Man," Breezy Osborne-Wingfield said.
Breezy says every item has a story.
"It's bittersweet, it's challenging," she said.
And that story is one that's not up for sale.
"We can never lose the memory and you just learn to let go because that's all it is, is just things," she said.
They are things heading to a new home and perhaps one more gift from Jennings Osborne.
Breezy also said she is still at some peace right now with her father not around for this auction. She says losing his home and his health were her dad's two biggest fears.
You can learn more about auction schedule by clicking here.You can also read more from our partners at Arkansas Business on the family's financial position and what led up to this auction.