In a surprising turn of events, a pair of gold Nike sneakers found their way into the donation pile at a shelter in Portland, Oregon.
These weren't just any sneakers – they were Air Jordan 3s, size 12 1/2, and they belonged to renowned filmmaker Spike Lee. Now they’re up for auction, where they could fetch $20,000 to benefit the shelter.
The shoes were anonymously dropped in the donation chute at the Portland Rescue Mission in the spring. A formerly homeless man in the mission’s long-term shelter program found them while sorting through donations and brought them to the attention of the staff, according to a blog post on the mission’s website this week.
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Designed by Nike's Tinker Hatfield in 2019, these sneakers were created for Spike Lee. The filmmaker wore his pair to the 2019 Academy Awards, where he received an Oscar for his screenplay "BlacKkKlansmen." Although the donated sneakers weren't Lee's personal pair, they were among a limited edition made for him to share with his close circle.
Tinker Hatfield himself visited the Portland Rescue Mission to authenticate the shoes. In addition to this, he signed a replacement box and generously donated other Nike merchandise. Hatfield expressed his delight in a statement, saying, “I’m thrilled the shoes ended up here. It’s a happy ending to a really great project.”
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Currently, the Air Jordan 3s are on auction at Sotheby’s until Monday, with estimates suggesting they could fetch between $15,000 to $20,000. Notably, Sotheby’s is waiving its fees, ensuring that all proceeds from the auction will directly benefit the shelter.
The Portland Rescue Mission, in operation since 1949, has been providing support to individuals grappling with homelessness, hunger, and addiction.
The identity of whoever donated the shoes remains a mystery.
