Walmart vest signed by TikTok sensation Gail Lewis pulled off eBay, charity auction back on
An internet sensation went even more viral this week, as a Walmart vest signed by former employee Gail Lewis was listed for auction on eBay – and the bids quickly sent the price skyrocketing.
Gail Lewis became an internet icon when a video of her signing off on her last day of work at Walmart went viral on TikTok in November, topping 32 million views. She's depicted as a folk hero in memes and videos cut to celebrate her years of service, reminiscent of a police or military officer's goodbye.
Now this week, a TikToker's plan to auction off a Gail-Lewis-signed Walmart vest for charity has been muted as the deluge of interest caused eBay to halt the sale, but there's still hope for Gail.
Who is Gail Lewis?
Gail Lewis is a former Walmart employee from Morris, Illinois. She became an internet sensation when a video of her saying goodbye on her last day at Walmart after 10 years went viral on TikTok.
The video ends with her teary explanation that she was leaving Walmart for a better job and that she would miss her life-long friends made there.
The internet loved her quirky authenticity and commenters showed up in droves to share their support.
"I did my first tour with Gail back in '19," one commenter posted. "She let me scan a TV as cilantro."
"Gail Lewis is a national treasure," another said.
"For God, for duty, for Gail Lewis! Your commitment to everyday low prices is astonishing," a commenter posted.
Walmart's brand account event chimed in, saying "One of a kind associated, a one of a kind farewell."
Gail Lewis vest auctioned on eBay
TikToker Eric Decker, who is famous for his internet-oriented stunts, reached out to Lewis and asked for her autograph. Lewis agreed, so Decker flew to Morris, Illinois with a Walmart vest for her to sign.
Instead of keeping the autographed vest for himself, Decker wanted to auction it off for charity of Lewis' choice on eBay. Lewis decided to donate the money to the Children’s Miracle Network, and the vest was posted for sale.
The video of him meeting her for the autograph has been viewed over 10 million times.
After the vest was listed on eBay on Dec. 13, the auction took off and quickly reached over $400,000. However, eBay flagged the massive bids, then removed the auction and banned Decker.
Decker was able to find another auction house to sell the vest, and flew to New Jersey to deliver the vest to be authenticated.
The vest is now back up for sale through Goldin Auctions, and the price is already up to $11,000 after being listed Friday morning. Bidding closes at 9 p.m. on Dec. 20.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Gail Lewis' Walmart vest taken off eBay, live on another auction site
