Show Pig Sells For Thousands To Honor Late Locust Grove Teen

A Green Country FFA show pig sold for thousands more than it’s worth during a livestock auction this week.

And for many, the kindness that led to that sale is priceless because it was all to honor a Locust Grove teenager who died over the summer.

“Faith...faith keeps me strong,” Locust Grove sophomore Kasey Ragsdale said.

And raising show pigs keeps her busy. It was something Kasey and her boyfriend, Greyson Knowles, loved to do together.

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“I was here many nights helping clean pens,” she said. “It's kind of like a special place because when I'd come to Greyson's house, we'd never stay in the house, we'd always come to the barn...meet me at the barn...I'm at the barn.”

She’s been at the barn even more the past few months, caring for the show pigs that belonged to Greyson.

The 15-year-old passed away in July after being in a crash that also severely injured his younger brother and two friends.

“It's different without him, he brought the joy to everyone,” Kasey said.

Showing pigs is what brought joy to Greyson. He bought a Berkshire on his own back in March. It was his prized possession, so it only made sense for his girlfriend, best friend and brother to step in and make sure the pig made it to the Mayes County Fair.

“We just kind of all pitched in together and thought we needed to do this in honor of him,” she said.

“Just carrying on what he loved and what he liked to do,” Greyson’s brother Patrick said. “It's important to me, I knew he loved doing stuff like that, I needed to do that for him.”

The pig went to auction Monday night at the fair, Kasey led him around the arena. The pig sold for $10,000 - that’s about $7,000 more than it’s worth.

“I was really shocked and amazed with the price,” Kasey said. “I couldn't help but hold the tears back, so tears were falling, but it just was a special feeling.”

That money will go to a scholarship fund in Greyson's name, to ensure his legacy can live forever.

“I'm pretty sure everybody here will remember him until the day that we die,” Greyson’s best friend Matthew Breedlove said.

Several Mayes County business got together to buy the pig. But they gave it back to Greyson's family. Kasey said she will continue to care for the pig as a pet. She’s naming him Darlin’ – an inside joke between her and Greyson.

“It's kind of like a piece of him is still here. I feel like he's still here with me with these pigs,” Kasey said.