LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A father in Carmel is continuing his mission to prolong his 3-year-old son's life by raffling off more of his rare whiskey collection to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Wyatt Perdue's life includes a devastating genetic disorder. Doctors diagnosed him with cystic fibrosis through a blood screen as a newborn.
"He was probably 10 days old when we got the phone call from our pediatrician," said Anne Perdue, Wyatt's mom. "After the shock of it, we just tried to educate ourselves and try to learn as much as we could about it."
While the condition is not terminal for children, the life expectancy for someone with cystic fibrosis can be their 50s, earlier or beyond. There is no cure.
So in 2021, Wyatt's father, Nathan Perdue, approached the Kentucky Derby Museum about raffling off some of his prized bourbon collection to bring awareness and funding to beat cystic fibrosis.
Nathan and the Kentucky Derby Museum raised $400,000 in 2021, with the vast majority of that money going to lifesaving research.
"Everyone that participated in that fundraising initiative last year was indirectly responsible for that amazing accomplishment,” Nathan said. “So, this year we thought, how do we celebrate not only that great accomplishment, but how do we raise even more funds and more awareness?"
For 2022, additional bourbon collections were added, so there will be three winners. It will work as follows:
The Grand Prize winner will receive:
- Six bottle limited-edition collection of Pappy Van Winkle, valued at $24,100 by Justins' House of Bourbon
- VIP Kentucky Derby Museum experience for winner and up to three guests
- One-night stay at Hotel Distil for winner and one guest
- $100 Repeal Oak Fired Steakhouse gift card
- One-year membership to Watch Hill Proper, valued at $3,500
The Second Prize winner will receive:
- Seven bottle E.H. Taylor Collection, valued at $15,000 by Justins' House of Bourbon
- VIP Kentucky Derby Museum experience for winner and up to three guests
- One-night stay at Hotel Distil for winner and one guest
- $100 Repeal Oak Fired Steakhouse gift card
The Third Prize winner will receive:
- Five bottle Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, valued at $14,400 by Justins' House of Bourbon
- VIP Kentucky Derby Museum experience for winner and up to three guests
- One-night stay at Hotel Distil for winner and one guest
- $100 Repeal Oak Fired Steakhouse gift card
Tickets are on sale now for $100 each and can be purchased here. Only 6,000 tickets will be sold, and there is no limit on the number of tickets that may be purchased by an individual. Ticket sales will end Nov. 17.
Winners will be drawn via Facebook Live on the Museum's Facebook page on Nov. 18, 2022, at 3 p.m. ET.