Massive Collection of Original Stephen King Manuscripts Tragically Lost in Flood
Jonathan Barkan
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The last couple of years have seen a massive resurgence in movies and TV adapting the works of noted author Stephen King. We got “The Mist”, “Mr. Mercedes”, “11.22.63”, “Castle Rock”, The Dark Tower, IT, Gerald’s Game, Cell, and more. The power of his words have clearly resonated across generations and are impacting viewers today just as much as they did readers upon release. For Bangor, ME resident Gerald Winters, King’s work is more than a passion, it was his life’s calling.
According to the Maine Public, Winters moved to the United States from Thailand over a year ago and established his own business, Gerald Winters & Son. A rare book store, it was Winters’ intention to collect and store as much of King’s original work as possible, including first editions, manuscripts, signed copies, artwork, and more. The collection numbered in the thousands, a treasure trove of all things King.
Tragically, some 2,000 pieces of his collection was irreparably damaged when a water main burst in front of his business, flooding his store’s basement with several feet of water, soaking everything. “You can’t replace this stuff,” he told the site. He estimates that only 10% of his store’s inventory was okay after the incident.
Many of us have our own personal collections of something, be it movies, books, comics, toys, instruments, records… Whatever it is that you hold dear, that is what Winters felt towards his collection, which included items he traveled the world to acquire. It’s beyond heartbreaking to hear of his story.
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