Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay is bidding a large sum of money on a Fender guitar that was used by Kurt Cobain, but it’s not just because it’s a cool piece of memorabilia to own.
A portion of the proceeds will go to a cause that Irsay cares deeply about: mental health. That’s why this auction is very important to him.
Irsay opened the bidding for the guitar used in the “Smells Like Teen Spirit” music video at $2 million.
“This guitar is big, and it relates so much to stigma,” Irsay said, via IndyStar. “When you have a mental illness, people die. These are fatal diseases — bipolar, schizophrenia, post-partem depression, alcoholic addictions. With fatal diseases, people die and they don’t choose to die.
“Those of us who are alive, we’re not stronger or better. We didn’t get our act together more. We didn’t have more character. That’s where it’s so false.”
Through the “Kicking the Stigma” initiative, Irsay and the Colts have donated over $16 million to local and national organizations who specialize in mental health.
The auction for Cobain’s guitar will take place May 20-22 at juliensauctions.com.