A 9-year-old girl became a local legend Friday after selling her massive pig to help build a new farm.
At the Fayette County Fair in Pennsylvania, Harper Diamond auctioned off Cookie, her 270-pound pig, but decided to donate her earnings to funds for constructing the fairground’s new barn, according to a local report. All in all, Harper raised a whopping $27,000. (Subscribe to MR. RIGHT, a free weekly newsletter about modern masculinity)
A young girl’s kind gesture is going a long way after she donated thousands raised from the sale of a prized pig during an auction to construct a new barn at the Fayette County fairgrounds. https://t.co/Fk7t7tfUpN
— WTAE-TV Pittsburgh (@WTAE) August 3, 2025
“It’s just letting kids grow to mature in life and learn things. Teaching responsibility, and like I said, agriculture is the backbone of this country, and it’s just good to be able to give back, and I couldn’t be any prouder of her,” Harper’s father, CJ Diamond, said.
This story is great for a couple of reasons.
How many 9-year-olds do you know who would ever donate $27,000 to a good cause? I don’t think I have ever seen a kid that young act so selflessly and maturely. If I were that age and found myself with nearly 30 grand in my pocket, I would either have spent it on football jerseys, video games, or golf clubs.
The second is that Harper’s story is a testament to the strengths of small-town America. Everyone at the fair chipped in what they could to help raise money. Everyone wanted to pitch in. Agriculture is, indeed, the backbone of this country. But I would add Main Street, USA. Small towns are stronger, more resilient, and compassionate than the city slickers make them out to be.
There is also a great lesson in here, not just for kids, but all of us. Harper would have been a cool hero if she had sold her pig and pocketed the money. That alone is quite a feat for a 9-year-old. But she became a legend by giving it all back. Generosity is sometimes the quality that separates the heroes from the legends.
