He goes to a second-hand shop and finds a vintage trading card valued at thousands of dollars: “Is this really happening right now?”

Imagine buying a box of baseball cards for $350 — and discovering a single card inside that could be worth well into six figures. That’s exactly what happened to 47‑year‑old Rick Fayter, a Texas resident originally from Fairfield, Ohio.

This past June, Fayter and his son traveled back to Ohio to visit his father, who had suffered a serious medical issue. After several days in the ER, doctors were able to stabilize him and treat a blood clot in his brain. Once his condition improved, he moved into the recovery phase — a huge relief for the family.

With that weight lifted, Fayter made a stop at a local baseball card shop. A longtime collector, he picked up a 2022 box for about $350. It felt like a splurge — until he opened it.

Inside was a Shohei Ohtani card dating back to 2018, the year Ohtani joined the Los Angeles Angels. “When I opened the box and saw his name, I couldn’t believe it. I thought, ‘Is this really happening right now?’” Fayter said in an interview. “Shohei Ohtani has transcended the sport of baseball.”

A life‑changing surprise

Once the shock wore off, Fayter decided to check what the card might be worth. That’s when the second surprise hit: a nearly identical Ohtani card had recently sold for an astonishing $132,000.

Realizing the opportunity, Fayter chose to sell his own card. By late November, he had closed a deal for close to $90,000.

And he already knows exactly where that money is going.

“Everything I do is for my son”

“Everything I do is for my son,” Fayter said. “That money can help him achieve great things in his future.”

What started as a routine visit home — and a seemingly unnecessary purchase — turned into a once‑in‑a‑lifetime stroke of luck.

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