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Lot 44 From Mills County, Texas...worth reading.
- Mar 13, 2010 at 11:51 AM
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- Comments (25) Total Views (1179) Everyone can see this journal post.
Lot 44 From Mills County , Texas
Lot 44 from Mills County ,
Texas , usually don't make the local paper.
On Saturday
afternoon, February 20, 2010, a young boy brought his goat to
the
auction. Dustin Mangus drew Lot #44, slightly less than halfway through
the
100 Lots going to auction that night. It was not a particularly
advantageous
or unlucky draw, but ordinarily might have been a place in the
program
that wouldn't have commanded much attention, much less a record
purchase
price. The auctioneer, however, took time to reign in the frenzied
crowd
and tell Dustin's story:
Early in the morning on
December 8, 2009, Dustin, his younger brother and
sister, and their
father, David Mangus, were in a rollover accident near
their home in
Mullin, Texas. Their truck's roof was crushed when it crashed
into a
tree, and David Mangus was killed at the scene. Dustin's brother and
sister
suffered minor injuries and were treated and released from the
hospital.
Dustin, though, was in critical condition from his injuries, and
underwent
several surgeries to save his life and reconstruct his face. The
first
surgery was to remove a part of the truck's dashboard that had lodged
in
his head, and to reconstruct the eye socket that was damaged as a
result.
The little boy who stood before us on the auction block,
holding his goat
while we heard this story, smiled at us from a
beautiful, innocent face that
showed little sign of his tragedy or
his loss. Had someone not shared his
story we never would have been
allowed to ponder this
young man's ability to
overcome adversity. We never would have had
the privilege of comprehending
his incredible achievement. To have
been able to continue to raise that
animal and be ready for a stock
show in February, he had to have gotten
right back up and kept on
living the minute they let him out of the
hospital.
The
auctioneer asked every bidder who had already pledged funds to this boy
to
stand, and every top buyer in the room stood. When the bidding opened,
the
price for Lot #44 was already at $20,000. Then, a true miracle began as
the
people of San Antonio opened their hearts for Dustin and his family.
Corporation
after corporation added on another thousand here, another two
thousand
there, another $5,000, and the price went to $60,000 at record
speed.
Leaders of San Antonio businesses started making personal
contributions
out of their own money, and the price kept climbing.
Individual
spectators
and those in the audience began coming down one, by
one, giving
personal contributions and pledges to this family. It was one
heck of
an altar call, and the only thing flowing faster than the money was
the
tears.
Dustin's little brother joined him on the block and the
two of them smiled
their sweet smiles while the money kept coming in,
and we feel certain they
had no idea what those numbers meant.
Dustin's grandpa came down from the
audience to stand with the boys
and choked back tears, while people in the
room who weren't
registered bidders started coming forward to make personal
contributions.
When the price hit $110,000, one of the top buyers announced
he had
partnered with another to add on to make it an even $150,000 for
Dustin.
The gavel came down on the highest priced goat at this year's
Junior
Livestock Auction while everyone cheered and cried at the same time.
Dustin's
grandpa was openly crying when
he took the microphone to thank the
crowd in a shaky voice, with no
real ability to impart his gratitude more
than his tears
communicated.. He simply said "Thank you. I don't know what
else to
say. Thank you."
We all know there is no amount of money that
heals the pain of losing your
Dad. Not one of us gave to this cause
imagining there was any way it could
ever make up for what Dustin and
his family lost. This was our way of
reaching out to a family in
need, in tragedy, in suffering, and offering
them something shining
and positive and good to help them on the road that
lies ahead.
Dustin has already had to overcome more adversity at the age of
10
than some of us will ever face. What the people of San Antonio did for
Dustin
and his family was truly amazing, but even more amazing is the spirit
Dustin
embodies, in showing up with his goat to do what he set out to do.
With
a smile on his face and with his family
by his side.
This demonstration of generosity, kindness and
support is what the Show and
Rodeo is really about. We are investing
in the future of our country by
investing in the lives of our
country's children. We are raising money to
help provide educational
opportunities for as many children as we can reach.
And sometimes, we
are witnessing miracles.
Comments:
My daughter comes from a family of goat breeders and shows....(my sis and bro-n-law raise them, niece showed them also)...so we know the hard work that the little boy put forth...
I can only imagine !, The love and hard work it took . We bought the best dog we ever had from a little boy at the Timonium Fair in Maryland
He was an English Springer Spaniel, we named -"Dandy Boy" I still remember him enclosed in the pin with his brothers and sisters , He rarely moved being the fattest in the group, with his pink belly and five big brown spots covering it . Well ,we could not leave him - it was" Love At First Sight " we scooped him up quicker then Ice cream, and loved him with all our hearts . I still so miss him.
It was definitely worth reading!! Thank you for sharing this!
I would write something but tears are blurring my vision
and to think I wasnt going to read this.... anyone have a tissue?
wow! what a tear jerker! thanks for sharing!
oh, i am crying now.
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Thankyou for posting this Princess , what a beautiful champion this young boy is !
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