Sp. Fork man spent four years writing every number up to 1 million When Kris Wilson was in the fourth grade, he wrote his autobiography. In it, he said his goal was to be a millionaire.

Now, he's achieved that goal -- sort of.

Wilson's millions aren't actual dollars, but numbers, written in black ink on notebook paper. The Spanish Fork man believes he is the first person in history to write every number from one to 1 million, and he plans to get his unusual accomplishment certified by the "Guinness Book of World Records."

"I figured I'd never make a million," Wilson said. "But I could do it in my own way. Everyone thinks everything's been done. This is proof that it hasn't."

Wilson, 49, began his quest about four years ago, when he decided he wanted to do something that had never been done. He was fascinated by the number 1 million, which he believes holds a special significance in the American psyche. Just look, he said, at our most popular game shows, such as "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?"

"The grand prize is always a million," he said. "The American psyche is caught up with a million."

The quest ended last month as Wilson put the final numbers in his book. The result is four three-ring binders, each containing 250,000 consecutive numbers. Wilson's binders contain a total of 768 pages, with the numbers written in 10 columns on each side.

There were periods of time when he stopped writing, but on average he said he wrote about 2,000 numbers each night, which takes about two hours. On at least one occasion, he wrote 6,000 in one sitting. As Wilson neared the end of his project, he was writing about 4,000 numbers each night.

"I'd stay up all night and drag my butt to work but know I was that much closer. When you're doing 4,000 it really grows," he said.

At times, Wilson would get frustrated. He said he would start to think that the project was stupid and would stop writing for up to two weeks. That's why the project took four years, he said, instead of the three years he originally expected to spend filling his binders.

There was a lot of proofreading, evidenced by a smattering of crossed-out numbers on most of his 768 pages. And writing 2,000 six-digit numbers each night produces a lot of hand cramps.

But now that he is finished, Wilson has big plans for capitalizing on his record. People can buy certificates with their lucky number for a few bucks. Each bears the image of Wilson's face on a $1 million bill. They are numbered, signed and certified by "Mr. Million" himself. Only two numbers are unavailable for purchase -- one, his mother's number, and Wilson's magic number of one million. Since he started, Wilson has sold about 500 certificates, he said.

Some of Wilson's plans are lofty enough to make his original goal from four years ago seem pedestrian. He wants to go on the talk-show circuit and get his numbers published as a book. He has contemplated writing a book about his work, and wonders if it could be made into a movie. He is still trying to decide on a title for his project -- the final candidates are "Wilson's Millions" and "A Cool Million."

Wilson used the same kind of pens and paper for every step of his magnum opus, but he won't reveal which brand. He is waiting to talk to the manufacturers about possible endorsement deals. He considers his project a work of art and is hoping to find a collector willing to buy it.

When Wilson first came up with the idea for "Wilson's Millions," his friends and family thought he was crazy, he said. Wally Hills, who has known Wilson for about 11 years, said he didn't think Wilson would actually finish it. But Wilson kept at it, often visiting Hills at work at night to talk about the progress he had made that day.

"I didn't think he'd ever finish. I figured he'd lose it and be done with it," said Hills, whom Wilson described as a longtime supporter. "He's hung around here the whole time."

Wilson said it wasn't unreasonable for people to think he wouldn't finish it. His family, he said, is used to him coming up with new inventions and big ideas that never pan out. For much of the past four years, he has bounced around from job to job, often without a permanent home.

But Wilson's family was always supportive, he said. His completed binders were stored at his brother's house in St. George. Now, he wants to put them in a safe deposit box.

Steve Huff, Wilson's boss at Huff Trucking in Spanish Fork, is another friend who was initially skeptical. At first, he thought Wilson had way too much time on his hands, he said. But it's been fun to see him complete such a massive undertaking, and Huff used superlatives such as "amazing" and "unbelievable" to describe the final product.

"We've been making fun of him for a lot of years and telling him he's crazy and everything, but I hope he proves us wrong," Huff said.

Wilson's Millions isn't completely finished. On Jan. 28, he stopped writing at 999,999. He is hoping to find a sponsor who will help make the most out of his grand finale. He isn't sure yet where this ceremony will take place. But, as usual, he's got big ideas.

"I wish I'd finished it in time for the Super Bowl," he said. "Wherever I do it is going to be a historical place."

• Jeremy Duda can be reached at 344-2561 or jduda@heraldextra.com.