Jim Irsay’s battle with substance abuse is by now well documented. Seemingly clean for years since being arrested back in 2014, the Indianapolis Colts’ owner has relied on Alcoholics Anonymous and other support programs to help him overcome said addiction.
It’s in this that Irsay just recently purchased the original founding document of AA, known as the Big Book, for a cool $2.4 million.
“I’ve held it. I’ve looked through it. It is absolutely mind-blowing. It was just a miracle to see this thing live,” Irsay told the Associated Press.”
Irsay told the outlet that he thought about remaining anonymous after putting out the winning bid through the auction house Profiles in History. Instead, he wanted it to become public record as a way to overcome the stigma that alcoholism still boasts in today’s society.
The longtime owner also plans on putting the document on display in AA’s New York City headquarters for several months out of the year. “I think it’ll help a lot of people,” he said. “That’s the reason I’m doing it.”
The document itself includes original notations from Alcoholics Anonymous’ founder William Wilson, who died back in 1971. It had previously sold twice prior to Irsay acquiring the document.