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NEW YORK: Talk about a pack rat: Thousands of things Neil Armstrong has saved during a career that saw him become the first man to walk on the moon will be auctioned this week .
Nobody really knew the extent of things amassed by Armstrong during his 82 years on earth, not even the children of the man who marked history with his feat on July 20, 1969. Some memories come from his space missions.
The offspring of Armstong found the treasures after his death in 2012, hidden at home or at that of their mother, his ex-wife.
Some have historical value, such as the flags or medallions that he wore during the Apollo 11 lunar mission. Others do not, like a scout cap or a pin of his football team in high school.
"He just kept everything, he did not throw things," said his son Rick.
Many of these items have already been donated to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC or to the Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta, Ohio, the home town of Armstrong.
Rick and his brother Mark have decided to spread the rest of the collection.
More than 2,000 lots will be auctioned on Thursday and Friday in Texas, then again in May and November of next year.
The jewel in the crown will be an American flag that was taken away on the Apollo 11 Apollo 11 flight, although it was not placed on its surface. It is bigger than the usual American flag.
It is estimated at USD 75,000 (RMB 313,837) by Heritage Auctions, which is organizing the sale, which will also be held online.
"He kept all the things that were stolen on Apollo 11. He kept them all together," said Armstrong's youngest son, Mark.
"It was a chance because it allowed us to more easily identify these objects".
The brothers were in the dark about many of these memories of their father, who only showed a tiny part of it at home, perhaps to avoid overwhelming them with his exploits.
"His usual way was to minimize things but especially with us," Rick Armstrong said.
"My father and mother have been very insistent on trying to stay in our normal family and not be affected by all these things."
The brothers plan to create a foundation and donate a portion of the proceeds of the auction to various organizations.
Memories matter a lot to them, but their father's memories tell even more.
"Memories are the most important, as well as the values and lessons we learned from our parents – these are the things I value most for us," said Mark Armstrong. – AFP
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