After the famous preacher's death last month, Rev. Dr. Charles Stanley's grandson, 29-year-old Matt Broderson, sparked controversy online when he attempted to auction off some of Dr. Stanley's personal belongings, including a framed portrait and an engraved pocket watch.
He posted a video on YouTube advertising the items he was posting for sale on eBay, stating that he needed the money to pay bills. He also showed a few items he planned to keep as personal mementos from his grandfather's life.
After some backlash from the internet and some family members, Broderson apologized for what he did, acknowledging that it was in poor taste, but kept the items for sale, saying,
A lot of people I love, a lot of people I care about, a lot of people who are very close to me have pointed out that this is disgusting behavior. ... So, I just want to go on the record to say I admit I shouldn't have done that.
Later when the pocket watch sold on eBay, the anonymous buyer generously returned the watch to the Stanley family and called Broderson to tell him why.
Broderson said of his conversation with the buyer,
Apparently when he was younger and his grandfather died ... his brother and his cousin ... went and grabbed his grandpa's things, and they went and auctioned it off right away, and he did not like it.
When he told me his story, I just died inside. And I realized how selfish I was being, so I canceled the other eBay auction for the picture frame and the coin collection and I have mailed those back to my uncle. So technically, nothing has gotten sold on eBay. Everything is going back to its right property owners.
Despite Broderson's immature and tacky behavior immediately following the death of his grandfather Broderson was willing to humble himself, apologize, and remove the other items from eBay.
Although he wasn't too humble when he wrote in the description on his YouTube apology,
Oh well. I won't do it again and thanks for the free publicity.
So much for humble repentance.
At least Dr. Stanley's family has their belongings back thanks to the anonymous buyer talking some sense into this obviously troubled young man.
