Indonesian undertaker Josua Hutagalung became famous after a meteorite hit his home. As the man was working outside his home in Sumatra, he heard a loud rumble and found that a space rock had broken through the roof and lodged in the floor. The 2 kg rock was still warm, and Hutagalung immediately shared photos of the find on social media. The news spread quickly, attracting the attention of collectors from all over the world.
American meteorite enthusiast Jared Collins, who lived in Indonesia, confirmed the authenticity of the find, after which the rock and some of its fragments were sold to a buyer in the United States. At the same time, some debris appeared on eBay, where prices for 0.3 g piece of meteorite reached 285 dollars, and for larger debris – almost 30,000 dollars. This has led to speculation that the total value of the meteorite is 1.8 million dollars. However, experts believe this price is overstated, as no collector would pay such money for a meteorite.
Hutagalung himself initially said he sold the rock for just over $ 14,000 dollars, but Collins didn’t confirm that amount. Due to the excessive media attention and the spread of false reports about the million-dollar sale, Hutagalung began to really fear for his life. In a single interview, Hutagalung told VICE World News that he lived in fear for his life because criminals thought he had actually become a millionaire. He also said that he constantly rejected interview requests due to fear because he believed it was an opportunity for criminals to determine his location.
“I am afraid my child will be kidnapped because they think I have gotten rich and will demand ransom,” he told VICE.
Hutagalung notes that he still lives in his modest home. Therefore, if he did receive a million dollars, “I would hire at least five guards” for protection.
Earlier we reported on how a woman was hit by a meteorite while relaxing on the terrace.
According to BBC
