Here is a sweet story about a young boy, about a train, and about the generosity of a company that goes above and beyond to make a child happy. Even though it happened back in October, it has such a wonderful Christmas feel to it I thought to share it with you. 🙂
LEGO fan James Groccia with his dream LEGO train
It all started out with a ten-year-old avid LEGO fan who wanted the LEGO Emerald Night really badly. Here is his story, with his own words, from a letter he wrote to the LEGO company – dated September 1st, 2012:
My name is James Groccia and I’m 10 years old. I have been playing with many LEGO sets and products since I was about 4 years old. I have LEGO brick sets, Hero Factory, Creationary, Lunar Limo and more. I participate in a LEGO Playgroup to help with my social skills (I have Asperger’s Syndrome), and I love playing with LEGO at home (I play with them every day).
A couple of years ago I saw the Emerald Night Train set and fell in love with it. I wanted it right away, but my parents said I had to save the money to get it. For two years I kept all the money I got for birthday and holiday gifts, some of my allowance, and some money I got for participating in a research project. At last, a couple of months ago I had my $100 and was ready to buy the LEGO set of my dreams!
My mom started looking for it online and could not find any. We checked the LEGO store in our area and they didn’t have it either. I was completely crushed. You’ve stopped making it! It seems the only way to get one now is to pay $250 on Amazon or eBay, since now it is considered collectible.
I got another LEGO set, thinking I could forget about the Emerald Night, but every time I see it anywhere online I get very sad and disappointed. I still want the Emerald Night so badly, but there are none to be found.
Do you have any at your corporate headquarters? Perhaps I could get one that way? If you have any other ideas, I would be happy to hear them. I have never wanted a LEGO set so badly ever in my life!
LEGO originally responded to James’ letter that unfortunately the Emerald Night has indeed been discontinued. However on his birthday a month later, James got the surprise of his life when the train showed up at his doorstep! The rest is recorded by James’ family with a hidden camera and posted on YouTube. The video is titled “Why LEGO is the Best Company in the World”. Check it out below! 😛
Sweet, huh? As you can see patience and determination still pays off, and there are still people in the world who are happy to assist you in your dreams. I’m sure James will be a life-long LEGO fan. What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comment section below! And happy holidays! 😉
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Pretty cool. How could you stop being a LEGO fan if TLC did that?
Ikr I wonder what would happen if someone here did that. If this has happened many times please let me know
nice story.
I wish I was that kid! 😛
My thoughts exactly. 🙂
lol… me three… but with other sets… IDK… Imperial Flagship
Imperial Flagship… yeah, that was what I was thinking! 😆
NICE!!!…
So I’m guessing you didn’t get one either? 🙁
No… 😥 Actually, it’s my brother that really wants one…
Me four! 😛
Very cool story. Well done, Lego!
I have this set in my collection, and it is awesome. Absolutely awesome.
That is why LEGO is so special. As well as the people who play with it. God bless to the people like james and may their toy boxes be filled with lots and lots of LEGO.
Wow, this story got me all choked up. I am so happy for James! It makes me want to give a kid a LEGO set for Christmas…oh wait, I already have 🙂 They’ll be so excited.
Another way to remind me that LEGO really is the best and kindest company ever 😀
Speechless. Just speechless. My first and only reaction was 🙂
That’s very cool!
I wish I was that kid! How do you do that? Do you just send a letter into LEGO and then wait for them to respond? I need to do that because my birthday is coming up in February, and I really want the Ninjago Fire Temple or The Epic Dragon Battle but my parents say they dont have enough money. They got me the Lightning Dragon… but they cant get me the Fire Temple? That’s crazy. That video was heart-touching by the way, admin! Thanks for the video post! My brother saw that video with me and he said:
“That kid is so lucky! I wish I were him! Except I would ask for The Fire Temple…”
That’s what he said and I was like… yeah.
So that is it. Thanks for posting that admin! One question: Do you think that Ninjago will continue? I really like Jay and I don’t want him to leave…(i’m so in a relationship with him! I know!) I hope you keep posting!!! Thanks so much admin! Bye!
Ive put everything at risk for a set like this too. But im sure lego wouldnt give a death star to me 030
oh im getting fire temple as one of my x-mas gifts in fact its already bought dying to be opened …YOU JELLY?
mabye i should do that? 🙂
_legoguy___
yeah I just typed a letter like that…i dont know if i should mail it to them or if i should email it…i think i am going to mail
I think a lot of people are going to send letters to LEGo after this, hoping to receive a free LEGO set. But it doesn’t really work that way. This kid was saving up his money for a long time, contacted LEGO on his own initiative and wasn’t really expecting anything. I’m pretty sure he would have been happy to pay for the train full original price, saving up his money again, if LEGO could have provided the set. He wasn’t asking for handouts, begging for free sets, or wanting someone to take pity on him. That is why his story touched LEGO employees who went out of their way to help him out. 😉
Yup,
For example the Imperial Flagship was down to $130 last fall but I was barely coming out of my Dark Ages so I didn’t get it. But, I would not mind paying the original $180 NOW LOL… if it was available at that price… heck! I’d get two or three at original msrp for what it’s going now. But I’m an adult and have no one to blame but myself for going dark agey.
Well it certainly wasn’t a bad PR move with a video title like that…
As far as I know this is not a PR stunt. This family genuinely appreciate what LEGO has done for their kid. Actually, it is kind of bad PR for LEGO. Imagine all the letters they are going to get from kids begging for free LEGO sets! But it is still a sweet and inspiring story. 😉
It’s a very nice story for the holidays. A good reminder to parents to plan ahead to avoid situations like this if their child is as persistent as this one!
Best true LEGO story ever ;D
This is pretty cool, I don’t get how people can email LEGO now asking for sets, this is a little boy who saved alot of money
Wow… The kid’s just there and YES!!!!!!!!! THE EMERALD NIGHT TRAIN!!!!!!!!!!!! You know what would be nice? If Lego did that for Lego Ninjago…
I’m doing that with the UCS Millennium Falcon.
I’ve asperger myself, I gotta give that boy props for writing that letter and I hope he does enjoy his set.
Woah, that’s a cool story! And to think this was nine years ago when I was 9… and also that I am one year younger than James Groccia… I wonder if he still has the Emerald Night set built or even still has it (probably so). 🙂
Btw I found this webpage by searching (DuckDuckGo) “lego fansite from 2012”, lol.