Read this story of how this man went from having no money to being a millionaire, all with the help of his grandma's old blanket.
Loren's life was going downhill, but it completely turned around when he sold his grandmother's blanket. But just how did he do it?
Loren was a passionate carpenter, but after an accident, he couldn’t work anymore. He was living in an old shack together with his girlfriend, seemingly with no hope. To make matters worse, his grandmother, whom he loved very deeply, died. His sister and mother took all that she left behind, only leaving Loren with one measly item: an old blanket.
Heading to the Unemployment Office
Life circumstances left Loren with no choice but to sit at an unemployment building, totally broken. Unfortunately, the conversation proceeded with some upsetting questions and inquiries about him.
That was until he placed his metal prosthetic on the table, then, they realized what he was dealing with. At least he was his grandma's favorite.
Loren Was Grandma's Favorite
The most painful part of it all was the fact that Loren had no one to turn to for help. His closest relatives had forgotten him, especially his sister. Instead of seeking help or tender-loving care from them, they became his source of secondary sorrow.
Loren's grandma was the only person he was close to. They had a strong relationship because they both loved reading, and he got his love of books from her. She promised to give him all her book collections when she died, but his sister took that from him as well.
His Past
Loren wanted to choose a job in the athletic field due to his height and size, and mostly due to the fact that he was a footballer back then in high school. He was named the Big LT because of his distinct footballer stature. However, he later pursued another talent, discovering he was a skilled woodworker with a creative specialty.
Loren started earning a reputation from his woodwork after he had finished schooling. He was working as a freelance carpenter in one of the neighborhood stores. Due to his hard work and dedication, all his efforts were paying off, and he was doing great for a couple of years.
Going Back to Their Family Dispute
Loren always had the behavior of a peaceful and loving person, and this is why he spent almost all his time working to satisfy their wants and needs.
He dreamt of a peaceful family, the one he frequently noticed from his friend's family whenever he visits any of them. He also discovered that a brother and siblings could have some misunderstandings, but they quickly grow out of it. However, the case is different regarding his sister, because she hated him with a passion.
He Was Deeply Upset
After many fights, the two siblings had no choice but to cut the bond between them. They only met at inevitable gatherings, and it always ends in a series of insults aimed at her brother. Loren’s sister mostly displays her hatred without any sense or reason.
The main reasons for the dispute couldn't be narrowed to the sense that her sister liked to tear down those weaker than her: she was more financially comfortable than him, and she was married with children.
His Love Life
Loren found some joy, and he was enveloped with happiness when his long-awaited wishes were fulfilled. His girlfriend and her children moved into his house after he had been running his business for almost two years. The presence of her girlfriend made it more lively for him: he had a reason to go back home happily.
The two couldn't generate enough funds; there were not making much even with his girlfriend's part-time job, although they lived happily and were so excited to be together. Notwithstanding, happiness seemed to die when a terrible accident occurred.
The Dreadful Day
It was raining on this particular day. Loren was inside his truck, moving across the flooded road. The rain was not a commotion because Loren was an expert having some driving experience. On that day, he was not speeding nor driving roughly, but he later experienced some sensory overload at that point in time.
That moment was not in Loren's favor. He was late to realize that a speeding car was coming from the opposite side. He only noticed the light rays from the car headlights, and he couldn't easily change the steering to a safe place. The bad weather was the leading cause of the incident, and he couldn't see as much as possible.
The Nature of the Incident
Although it wasn't easy for him to turn the wheel towards a safer side, he only tried to dodge the car. The process of avoiding the crash made the truck flip over and resulted in an upside ditch. The other driver should have helped the poor man, but he speeded up and passed by. The last thing he remembered was some noise, faint light, and a blurry image of his savior.
To his fortune, someone stopped by and helped him to the hospital. He felt some pain in the neck and his ankle. And at that point, he fainted and couldn't remember any other time. He was in an unconscious stage, and he couldn't count the time or checked his present state. Life had turned against him.
Ghastly Injury
The last thing he could remember when he was administered in the hospital was the point when her girlfriend was holding his hand, and she was talking to the doctor in charge. Loren thought his life was over. He only hoped to escape the life tragedy. He felt some terrible pain around his leg: his foot was completely crushed in the accident, and he wasn't himself throughout the point.
Loren was hoping for recovery for almost a year, with some regular schedules with the dialysis machine, tests, and others. Regardless, his foot caused some complications. The incident became turmoil when the doctor notified some unfavorable news; Loren and his girlfriend were soaked in tears.
The Truth Is Inevitable
The only option left for Loren and his girlfriend is to undergo amputation so as to save his leg from further complications. Some tests were carried out, and the doctors discovered that his leg had been infected to some terrible stage. So, at the end of the week, Loren's leg was amputated successfully.
Following the process of the operation, he thought, of course, normally to scratch the itching part of the leg, but to his surprise – the leg wasn't there again - he had to face reality. At that point, he was so devastated and had a lot of thinking going through his head, but the truth cannot be reversed. Well, the medical term for such an incident is called the phantom limb.
Lacking Funds
All his savings had vanished because he spent a more extended period in the hospital. He couldn't work; neither could he leave the hospital – roughly the time he spent nurturing his leg made all his business desolate. The only option is to seek help from the unemployment office; however, before the people in that office could consider anyone; it's basically like passing through fire.
Considering the current situation, Loren thought the reality shows that they were going to be homeless for a while. His girlfriend had to send her kids to her grandma in the other state, and she asked him if he had a solution. But he replied that "there is nothing saved up; he knew nothing that could be done."
Uncaring Family
Loren thought how badly he was then, because none of his family visited him, except his mother that surfaced some couple of times – with no form of support or care. His big sister neglected him, and he faced the whole situation alone. Loren's life began to turn around when a friend checked him with the hope of survival.
His friend permitted Loren to stay at a little cottage for only $700 per month. Although the cost is low, Loren and his girlfriend had only $200 left. Their lives depend on this amount, and they can't spend it all on housing.
Left With Nothing
Loren learned of the death of his grandmother when his girlfriend, Lauren, told him that his grandmother's lawyer gave him a call, but he wasn't available. On the report that his girlfriend told him, he discovered that her grandma didn't leave a will.
Nothing seemed real when he got to his grandma's place and found that everything was empty. He thought she was robbed and had to make some calls. Then, he realized his family had taken care of all that his grandmother left behind, including the books.
The Old Raggedy Blanket
His sister had taken everything to spite him. She went to their grandma's house just to take books from her brother. At the point of disappointment, Loren was moving around the house, and then, he discovered an abandoned old gym bag.
Loren's only hope of remembering his grandmother was an old blanket he found inside the bag. The cloth was smelling and extremely dusty. He was happy to have one of her grandma's possessions. Although her sister saw the blanket, she didn't consider taking the old stuff.
A Shock
For almost seven years, none of them ever had the thought of using the old blanket. Although his girlfriend had tried with so much effort to wash the cloth and kept it in the closet, their mind towards the old blanket in the bag changed on one faithful day. Loren was sitting in the parlor and watching a program on the TV, specifically the Antiques Road Show, but was surprised at what he saw heeding the blanket.
Loren was surprised when the host on the program, an older man, brought an identical cloth with his old grandma's blanket. He was more surprised to see that the expert on the same program was examining the old blanket.
Is It Worth Anything?
To his surprise, Loren discovered that the old blanket might be worth some money, at least a significant sum. He was as surprised as the person on the TV show. He couldn't hold it but rushed to the closet and recovered the blanket; he compares the cloth with the man's blanket. The material matched, and the hope of being successful resurrected again! Loren called his girlfriend immediately and narrated everything to her.
She wasn't so surprised by the blanket's worth. No one can count the fault on her, who would think the blanket worth that amount? However, Loren was curious and decided to visit his mother and enquire more regarding the blanket.
Visit Your Mother
Loren's mother had the same mind about the blanket; she barely believed the old materials could be worth ten dollars. Since the time his grandmother passed away, his mother has taken charge of her house; she has been living there for several years now.
Loren was curious to know more about the old blanket. He remembered his mother had some old family photos album, he requested for the record, and his mother gave the pictures to him. While going through the collections, he discovered the old blanket must have been for over 150 years because he found that his great-great-grandfather, who was a worker in one North Dakota, actually owned the material.
The Unique Material
Loren had to start checking out the worth of the blanket; he started from a local pawn store. He was really disturbed because the attendant wasn't there on time. While the person arrived and checked out the blanket, he offered him $50.
To Loren's surprise, the man really showed the value of the blanket through its facial expression, but he didn't offer a reasonable price to expect the $50. Loren noticed that there is more to the blanket and left the store with a "thank you for your time."
The Mind of the Expect
After some series check and observation, Loren knew that he needed some guidance and people that can appreciate the value of the blanket. So, he went online to check some specialists in the field of archeology. He didn't stress out before he found one family-run business that specialized in the area.
Loren later traveled down to meet the specialist who goes by Jeff. When he got there, he discovered that he was in the right location because, from his office and business environment, he noticed some old kinds of stuff and how they really appreciate the values of these materials.
Conversations With Jeff
Loren had some confidence in the expertise of Jeff from the look and all the reference books on his shelves. Jeff is the overseer of the family business, and Loren was expecting some considerable expertise-look on his old blanket; at least it should be worth some fair price.
After some conversation, Jeff later called Loren into his office. The office looked small and packed with various materials like geographical stuff, architecture, among others. Loren placed the blanket on his table, unfolded it, and expected pleasant feedback from the expert.
Exciting Things Happening
Jeff wasn't expecting any exciting things concerning the blanket, he was used to disappointment, especially when people visit him claiming they notice their possession worth some pricing as stated from some TV shows or a book they read.
Although many of the claimed materials, especially old stuff, aren't as valuable as hyped by their possessors. On that account, Jeff wasn't expecting much from the blanket Loren was holding. However, the storekeeper was astonished and noted the value of the old blanket when he carefully looked at it in disbelief.
The History of the Blanket
Jeff knew about the kind of material, especially the old blanket when he was reading, then, about them. From his series of books, he had all the knowledge about such materials. He quickly ran his hand through the blanket and felt the texture, the striking colors, and weave affirmed the blanket like the one described in his books. He couldn't believe what he saw,
However, Jeff never revealed or showed his excitation. He wanted to know the genuine nature of the blanket – is this the original material? So, Jeff needed the story behind the old blanket to confirm if the content is not fake. That was the time Loren started speaking and told him the right ownership, which was his great generation, and his grandmother left it behind for him actually.
Hope Rising
Even to the point that Loren showed Jeff the picture he took from his mother, Jeff couldn't believe his eyes. He was indeed an expert but supposed if he could identify the precious blanket by himself. Jeff thought he needed a specialist in the field of clothing.
Jeff didn't want to stand on his mastery. He told Loren if he can send the blanket to a specialist in weaving and textiles. Loren agreed with him. Fortunately, Jeff knew someone at the local University, so he sent the blanket there for tests and proper examination. Loren went home with the hope of gratifying feedback.
Hope for the Best
Loren was thinking of many things in the next few days after the blanket has been taken to the specialist. He prayed and hoped for good fortune from the blanket; at the same time, he thought of his sister and how she was doing. Since the time of his grandma's death, he hasn't seen her.
Loren was facing a lot; his dream and hope were sinking. He had lost his leg and daily watched his girlfriend in her old car whenever she's going to work. The first dream he had is to bring the best life to the table of the family in buying a house and making life easy for the kids. All of the dreams were fading off, until the point the phone rang and…
Doubting Hope
Loren was disappointed when Jeff told him to come and pick up the blanket. His thinking was, "if the blanket was worth some figure, Jeff wouldn't have told him just like that." Notwithstanding, since the blanket belongs to his grandma, he loves to own one of her belongings. On his way to Jeff's office, he was driving with lost hope and felt devastated.
Loren and his girlfriend were driving down to Jeff's office. His girlfriend told him to be happy and grateful; even if the blanket isn't worth a dime, he got it from his grandmother, and that is actually worth it.
Revived Hope
Loren began to sprout hope and happiness when he saw Jeff's facial expression. Loren was confused and demanded the truth from Jeff, "does this blanket worth a fortune?" Jeff carefully removed the blanket from the protective case and placed it on the table.
Jeff narrated the reason that made the blanket a precious thing. He told Loren that the history behind the blanket made the old material a valuable treasure. Loren then confessed that he wouldn't have bothered to check out the blanket if not for the TV show: he saw an older man holding the same blanket just like his own.
Value in the History
The history traced down the blanket to the 17th century when the Navajo started making their wool. They became so much popular then, and their clothing, especially the woven ones, were known throughout the world then. Thus, the famous clothing materials made by the Navajo got the attention of the Spanish and other Native American tribes.
The blankets became something everybody wanted, because of the manner through which they were being made. The weaving style was so tight and made the blanket waterproof. So, during those days, the blanket was worn in the day just like regular clothing and used as a blanket in the night. It protects against cold and other environmental factors. These are the reasons behind the blanket, and such cannot be seen in today's fashion world.
The Worth of a House
The value of the blanket wasn't narrowed to the design or texture alone. The beauty also contributed to the high cost of the blanket then. In those days, only the "chiefs" and notable people in the society could afford it then. It was estimated that the price of a house then was around $200, especially in 1830. At the same time, the amount of the blanket was about $150 then, approximately the cost of a house.
Many questions ran through Loren's mind. He thought he could become a millionaire and he was also bothered because there are many of the fake clothing materials out there that claim to be the original Navajo works. Could it be real? He battled himself.
The Unique
Loren's blanket was regarded as "First Phase" blankets because it was the original artwork of the Navajo. Jeff further explained that the blanket wasn't only authentic, but also unique because it came directly from the Navajo. And this is why he said the blanket was rare and expensive.
Jeff continued and told Loren and his girlfriend that "truly there were many First Phase Navajo blankets back then in those times," but now about 50 of them only survived down the centuries. And this is why Jeff told them that “there are many people out there, especially the rich that wish to have one of these blankets." The blanket may be the turning point for the family.
Offer for Sale?
After the series of examinations, Loren told Jeff that he wanted to sell the blanket, even immediately when Jeff offered the deal. However, Jeff was surprised to see Loren in the act of selling his grandmother the only possession he had inherited. But their current situation wouldn't blame him more, and Loren thought that his grandma would be more than happy if he can get some worth from the blanket.
All life events have been turning against him; his grandma would love to see her grandson happy again, especially if she is the course of his happiness. So, Loren was confident to sell the blanket and love to live a happy life again.
One of a Kind Offer
The weeks preceding the auction day, Loren was busy with the business' website, observing and checking out any updates on the displayed auction items. He was surprised to see all the comments regarding the blanket, and immediately he discovered that the blanket must have been worth a fortune.
A shocking incident occurs a week preceding the auction date. Someone called Loren's line, and they had some discussion regarding the blanket. To Loren's surprise, the guy offered him the worth of $200,000 to prevent him from selling the blanket on the auction day. The guy really wanted it, and Loren knew the amount provided would change his life around.
Unannounced Meeting
Loren penned down the person's details, he told him to give him some moments so as to think about it. On that account, Loren called Jeff immediately and narrated everything to him, but Jeff didn't support his action. Loren loves to take the money; the sum is really tempting.
However, Jeff told Loren over the phone that they should meet at a public place. Due to the house that Loren was staying in, the closest public place is a Pizza Hut, and they agreed to meet at the spot. Loren had some strange feelings as if he was being monitored. Jeff got to the place before Loren, so he stayed in his car.
Paper Money
Jeff planned ahead of Loren. He knew Loren was facing a lot of difficulties and may be tempted to sell the blanket against the auction day. Jeff knew the blanket was worth more than the offered price, so he gave an envelope to Loren – just in advance. Loren was astonished when he checked out the content.
Although the amount that Jeff gave him is smaller than the offered $200,000, he trusted Jeff for the fact that he could risk $9,000 ahead of the auction day; the blanket really worth more than the assumption. So, the $9,000 made him calmed and agreed to wait till the auction week.
The Final Day
Loren and his girlfriend arrived at the auction early than expected. They were surprised to see the collections of historical items all arranged across the room. The special day had come, and he was pleased to see that his item was among the listed subjects with historical significance.
On that day, the people that came to bid for the historical items had gone round the room to check what they would be bidding for. At that time, Loren saw Jeff with another familiar face. It wasn’t so long before Loren later realized the person that was standing with Jeff.
I Remember You!
Not quite long, Loren recalled the face from the Antiques Roadshow as the specialist that was checking out the older man's blanket on the TV. After the recognition, they displayed the blanket on the table and carefully looked at it. The specialist was surprised and astonished, Loren saw the joy in his face when he saw the blanket.
When the action began, people were streaming the listed items. Loren and his girlfriend were happy to stand next to their item. To their surprise, they discovered that the blanket got people’s attention more than any other element on that day.
Let the Auction Begin
At the commencement of the auction, the auctioneer climbed the podium and got everyone's attention through the public address system. At the call for action, the sale began. The buyers were sitting and bidding for their favorite items. The auctioneer called the prices, and the buyers bid accordingly.
Loren was thinking about the amount that the blanket would worth. Many of the listed items were bought at the fixed price, and some were lowered before a buyer eventually settled for it. What would be the fate of the old blanket?
The Doubting Moment
The blanket was displayed to the buyers. Their facial expressions showed some satisfactory reaction. At that point, the bidding started, and the starting price was $150,000; this got Loren worried and was confused. What if none of the buyers bid for the blanket?
At the point that he thought it would have been better and more proper that he had collected the $200,000. He was thinking about this when the bidding started, and to his surprise, people started bidding for the blanket, and his worries eventually turned to some unbelievable junctures. Loren was actually happy to see that people loved the blanket.
Rising Price
Loren was confused and happy at the same time. The first card showed a $150,000 – the starting price. He later saw another card that reads $250,000. He was happy to see the price at least higher than the initial cost. Loren couldn't hold it when he saw a $300,000 card, followed by a $350,000 bid card.
The bidding card dropped down when the price approached $500,000. At that point, the wars were between a single woman that was bidding over the phone, and the same man that Loren saw on the TV.
Did You Mean $1,500,000?
The bidding price turned from $750,000 to $900,000. Loren was fighting his tears at this point. He couldn't believe his eyes. He was ready to conclude on the late price, then, the woman over the phone nodded for $1,000,000! Everyone was surprised.
The auctioneer continued to increase the price – from $1,100,000 to $1.3 million. Not until $1.4 million, then the person from the TV relaxed and stopped bidding because the price blanket had become some expensive for his budget. And at this point, Loren was delighted, but the bidding didn't stop.
SOLD!
Loren was surprised and remained in his shock when he later realized the blanket was finally sold at $1,500,000. He couldn't believe all that was happening; basically, he thought he was dreaming. He just won a lottery.
Loren was sweating and fighting hard to hold his tears. He later demanded water and cloth to wipe his sweat because he was seriously hyperventilating. The most astonishing fact is that all the life-changing events happened in a twinkle of an eye – 2 minutes 77 seconds precisely.
The Ultimate Celebration
After the auction and everything was settled, Loren and his girlfriend couldn't hold their tears again. They cry with the flow of joy. Even Jeff tried as much to hold himself from crying. Jeff explained that since he was in the field, he only witnesses about three to four occasions where the treasure comes from some old materials that couldn't believe it worth millions.
Following a share among those people that were involved in the success of the auction, $1.3 million was Loren's share. Loren was celebrating with his girlfriend friend, planning on the next thing to do, then, the phone rang…
Evil Sibling
Loren was happy to hear his mother voice over the phone. However, he was devastated when his mother told him that his sister was angry and planned to cause him to course over the blanket. Loren was confused and not happy because he was so disgusted that his sister couldn't just let him be.
Loren knew that the blanket belongs to him, and for the matter that her sister didn’t take the blanket when she first visited the grandma’s house. Yes, the amount is a large sum, but she took all the remaining collections that her grandma left behind, but she left the blanket for her brother – because the blanket wasn’t fascinating.
No Chance for Her!
Loren decided to call his grandma's lawyer, and he explained everything that happened to him, thinking that he would teach or guide him toward a victory regarding her sister's lawsuit. However, Loren was surprised when he noticed that the lawyer was laughing. He laughed and said, "there is no case in her sister's claim; in fact, no lawyer would listen to her."
Loren didn't find it funny at all. He was terrified of a lawsuit and he didn't want to spend all the auction money on a lawyer. At that point, Loren was confused and loved to know why her sister hated her as such. However, he had the lawsuit as a priority first in his mind.
Happy Ending
The following week, Loren received a long-awaited call when his mother told him that his sister has decided to drop the case. He thought that she might have consulted some law advice and knew she couldn't win the case even if she false-charged him. Loren had no worries about finance, not could anyone take the joy from him.
The first thing Loren did with his new wealth was organizing a fantastic wedding ceremony for his girlfriend. He then bought two houses and also invested in stocks. They had a holiday trip to Mexico, and he purchased a Harley Davidson, and also bought a new car. We couldn't be happier for Loren and his girlfriend! After all he has been through, he deserves to spend his money and enjoy his new, comfortable life.