In 1989, Mike Tyson bought himself a mansion for just $300,000. It was the height of his career, so why not take advantage? The Southington Township home was being sold at a sheriff's auction and Tyson jumped at the opportunity.
The boxing legend added some cages for his tigers to the property and also had giant gates installed with his name on them.
Ten years later he sold the mansion for $1.3 million to Paul Monea, who made his living through Tae-Bo exercise video infomercials.
Monea wasn't exactly a great businessperson, and ended up going to federal prison in 2007 for money laundering. The house was sold again at a sheriff's auction, this time for $600,000. It was then donated to The Living Word Sanctuary Church as a tax write-off.
The house was left abandoned for a decade before the church was able to get inside and do some work.
"The property had been untouched for 10 years," Living Word Pastor Nicholas DeJacimo told the Warren Tribune-Chronicle. "You had so much grass you could have sold it for hay."
Volunteers are now working tirelessly to create a new, stunning place of worship that will include an indoor waterfall, a room for brides to get ready for their weddings, and an area for baptisms.
DeJacimo believes the mansion "got dropped into our lap" and that "it was meant for us."
But despite being abandoned for 10 years, you can still see the beauty that once was Mike Tyson's mansion.
The stone archway is truly something else.
Even though it's been abandoned, you can tell the structure is still amazing.
The winding staircase would make a beautiful bride entrance!
Once this hot tub gets cleaned up, I wonder what they'll use it for.
This pool definitely needs a lot of work.
That view is stunning.
Those ceilings definitely have a church vibe to them.
