Jim Fair
William Johnson raises his bid card to acknowledge he was the winning bid of $2,250 for a 2003 Grand Cherokee. His wife, Lea, stands on the right.
Jim Fair
Cindy Simpler, left, and Hannah Rainwater enjoy the bidding for the Grand Cherokee that netted Greer Community Ministries $2,250 at Big Thursday.
Jim Fair
William Johnson and his wife, Lea, had one hour to get to Fairview Baptist Church for the live auction after getting a text message from Afghanistan to bid on a vehicle.
Johnson and a competitor traded $50 bids from the $1,500 mark to the final $2,250 winning bid. “I couldn’t see the other person bidding,” Johnson said. “I didn’t want to because I was so nervous.” The bidders were at opposite ends of the Fairview Baptist Church gymnasium, separated by bleachers filled with people who were participating and others enjoying watching the process.
Johnson’s bidding process was deliberate. “We had a figure and we stayed under it to get the car,” he said.
The vehicle is for his wife, Lea’s, sister who has a learner’s permit. “It will be her first car and she always wanted a Grand Cherokee,” Lea said.
Johnson was a mechanic while serving in the Navy as a Seabee (construction battalion). He was entrusted in seeing that the vehicle was a sound investment for the money. “If I told Bryan (father-in-law) I didn’t think it was worth it, he would have trusted me,” Johnson said.
Lea said Bryan read about the vehicle up for auction on the internet.
Bryan, retired Army, will be home for two weeks in December for the holidays before returning to Afghanistan for another year. The idea is to present the vehicle to his 17-year-old granddaughter at that time.
As Johnson was finalizing the sale he texted Bryan (6 a.m. Afghanistan time) of the winning bid.
Bryan’s response: “Awesome!!!!!”