Curry's Ghost Fire Shoes Raise Money For Victims
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry knows the kind of excitement generated by the shoes he wears.
So when he began to think about how he could honor and help the victims of the deadly Ghost Ship Warehouse Fire tragedy, he decided to use his feet as a fundraising vehicle for the 36 victims and their family.
Teamming up with a local artist, Curry had two distinctive pairs of shoes designed and put them up for bid on EBay.
As of Wednesday morning, Curry's shoes have received 157 bids and were at a combined $20,000 on the auction site.
Continuing Coverage: Deadly Oakland Warehouse Fire
Curry wore one of them, a pair of white sneakers with the words "Oakland Strong" printed on them, during a recent game against the New York Knicks. He wore the other, more colorful shoes with the words "Ghost Ship" on them, during practice, according to the Warriors.
Both shoes have the initials of all 36 victims printed on them.
"We were all devastated by the news of this tragedy and the loss of so many young lives right here in our community," Curry said in a statement. "My goal in wearing these shoes was to not only honor the victims that lost their lives that night but also to raise awareness for the relief efforts that are underway."
The Warriors have pledged $50,000 to the fund already, the players and coaches added $75,000 more and shoe maker Under Armor pledged $25,000, according to the Warriors. Organizers are working with the American Red Cross to distribute the funds.
The cause of the fire has not been determined, though investigators are looking into an electrical cause. It broke out during an electronic music concert at the Ghost Ship warehouse near the corner of 31st Avenue and International Boulevard on the night of Dec. 2.