Weld County (Colorado) Sheriff’s Deputy Sam Brownlee was killed in the line of duty in 2010. His son Tanner was 15 years old at the time. In 2015, Brownlee’s Dodge Charger squad car, which was retired after his death, was put up for auction by the sheriff’s department. At the auction on Wednesday, Tanner kept bidding, but was outbid by a stranger. The book value on the car was $12,500, but it eventually sold for $60,000 to Steve Wells, a local rancher. Proceeds went to Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.), a fund that helps dependents of officers killed in the line of duty.
Tanner was disappointed that he couldn’t buy his dad’s car. But when the auctioneer handed the keys to Mr. Wells, Wells turned around and gave them to Tanner. The car was a gift. 7News Denver has a video of the auction that you have to see. -via reddit
(Image credit: Tanner Brownlee at Facebook)