The untimely passing of Florence “Flo-Jo” Griffith Joyner was a tough loss in the sports industry, especially for her husband Al Joyner. In remembrance of his late wife, the track and field Olympian recently received a special surprise.
Atlanta Black Star reports that “Storage Wars” host Rene Nezhoda gave Joyner the opportunity to buy back Flo-Jo’s memorabilia. After buying the rare items from the owner of Bargain Hunters thrift store, Nezhoda’s initial plan was to put the items up for auction. According to the TV star, many of Flo-Jo’s family members and friends reached out to him, which resulted in him ultimately making a deal with Joyner.
“I want to be very clear. This is not charity; I am making a profit. Al knows what I paid for it and he is the only person that knows what I paid for it,” Nezhoda stated, according to Atlanta Black Star. “I told him the profit I want to make. It’s like a track runner, you want to win.”
He added: “We worked out a deal where I can give it back to Mr. Joyner…Sometimes you don’t have to max out and do the right thing.”
Flo-Jo's Memorabilia
In the deal, the outlet reports Joyner bought back his late wife’s “rare photos and magazines” along with “one of her track satin NBC Olympics jackets, a batch of autographed Barbie dolls, and a pair of the cleats she wore when she set Olympic and world records for the 100 meters and 200 meters.”
He describes the most prized possessions to be Flo-Jo’s pink, yellow, white, and turquoise weight belt and a jacket of his from the 1988 Olympics that was a gift from Flo-Jo, which he hadn’t seen in 36 years. Joyner calls the surprise memorabilia “a blessing in disguise.”
“Rene is great,” he expressed in gratitude. “I know he is on a TV show and all that, but he really is a great guy and really warms my heart.”
