Thirteen years ago, something happened that still influences the entire crypto community today: Jeremy Sturdivant helped a stranger buy two pizzas with Bitcoin. And that was exactly the start of Pizza Day, which we celebrate every year on May 22nd.

The story is actually pretty wild. A guy named Laszlo Hanyecz wanted to order two large pizzas in 2010 and offered 10,000 BTC for them — worth about $41 at the time. For four days, the community ignored his offer. Then came Jeremy Sturdivant, a 19-year-old from California, and thought: Why not? He simply called Papa John’s, paid with his credit card, and had the pizzas delivered to Florida. In return, he received the 10,000 Bitcoin.

The crazy part? Jeremy Sturdivant sold the coins shortly afterward to fund a trip. If he had held onto them — today, he would own over $783 million. Not bad for two pizzas, right?

Jeremy Sturdivant reflected years later in interviews that he “certainly” regrets it. But he also emphasizes: back then, it was just a favor among Bitcoin enthusiasts. He thought it was fair to help Laszlo. “Who doesn’t like pizza?” he later told The Telegraph. The idea that Bitcoin could someday be so valuable wasn’t even on the radar.

What fascinates me: Jeremy Sturdivant wasn’t greedy, he was practical. He saw a use case and acted on it. That’s actually the core of the Bitcoin philosophy — it’s not about speculation, but about digital currencies being able to exchange real value.

Today, Bitcoin Pizza Day is a holiday for the entire crypto community. Every year on May 22nd, we remember that Bitcoin was used for something real for the first time. Jeremy Sturdivant may have missed the biggest financial opportunity in history — but he was part of a historic moment that showed: Bitcoin works. And that’s priceless.