E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Jay Groccia
James Groccia, 11, saved for two years for a LEGO train, but by then the company had stopped making it. The company was so moved by his story that they sent him the set.
James Groccia has loved LEGO since he was about 4 years old.
But when the little boy told his parents a couple of years ago that he wanted the $100 Emerald Night Train set, which had more than 1,000 pieces, they hesitated before making the big purchase.
After all, the set was meant for 14-year-olds and they worried that James, who was 8 or 9 at the time, wouldn’t be able to put it together.
“We didn’t want to just go out and get him something that could have been too complex for him,” James’s dad, Jay Groccia, told TODAY.
The couple, who live in Boylston, Mass., also saw one of those golden parenting opportunities to teach their oldest child about responsibility.
“My wife just basically said, ‘If it’s something you really want, save up for it,” Groccia said.
James, who has a form of autism called Asperger’s syndrome, did just that. It took him about two years to save up the $100.
And then, disaster struck. LEGO had stopped making the train set.
“All of a sudden there were none,” Groccia said. “The only ones we found were basically through the collector marketplace.”
The collector items were pricey – around $250 in some cases – and Groccia also worried that the used sets they could find online would have missing pieces. Still, the couple felt so bad for their little boy that they were even considering purchasing the pricey sets, or buying the hundreds of pieces individually.
James, who was by then 10, couldn’t get the Emerald Night Train set out of his head. Finally, with his mother’s help, he wrote a letter to LEGO explaining his situation.
It was the kind of letter that would break any parent’s heart, and yet also make them so proud. In it, he told the LEGO company about how much he loves their toys, and how he even uses them in a play group designed to help kids with autism build social skills.
And he told them how much the Emerald Night set meant to him.
“I got another Lego set, thinking I could forget about the Emerald Night, but every time I see it anywhere on line I get very sad and disappointed,” he wrote. “I still want the Emerald Night so badly, but there are none to be found.”
At first, LEGO said they could not help James. But then a package showed up at the family's door. It happened to be right around James’ 11th birthday.
Jay Groccia, James’s dad, is a professional photographer. He set up a couple of cameras, and captured the moment that his son opened up the box to find the train set he so badly wanted. (Warning: Tear-jerker alert!)
In an e-mail to TODAY, LEGO confirmed that they had sent the Emerald Night Train set to James. Michael McNally, the company’s brand relations director, said in the email that the company was humbled by the family’s decision to share the company’s gesture, which he noted is not a regular company practice.
As for James, his dad says that after he opened the box he still had to do his regular chores before dinner. He was able to work on the train that night, and he was up at 5:30 a.m. the next morning to work on it again.
For Christmas this year, James is asking for the train track to go with the Emerald Night set. His dad expects it’s far from the last LEGO set his son will ask for.
“That’s never-ending,” Groccia said.
Leave a Comment:
What a wonderful story! Lego really showed what customer service is all about - striving hard to earn the loyalty of every customer. What a great job and they really are to be commended on making this boy's dream come true.
I've loved playing with them since I was a little kid and now that my kids are old enough to play with them we all sit down and build things together. Great story way to go LEGO!
It's wonderful to learn about a company with a heart! Good going, Lego!
Lego company you have truly showed what real customer service is all about. You couldn't buy this type of positive advertising for any price and you did it to provide joy in the life of a child. There is no higher reward.
Well done, parents, LEGO, and James. Well done, indeed.
My brother and I played with Legos when we were young and my parents saved them ALL! We even got to visit Legoland in Denmark back in the early 80's before they ever made one in the U.S. My older children played with them and now my youngest does. We continue to add to the massive bin as years go by. I anticipate being able to share these with my grandchildren someday! Most toys come and go, but Legos last FOREVER!!!
Kudos for LEGO.. My son (Also in the autism spectrum, and ADHD) has wanted this set for 2 years....I told him the same thing...save up..., then they quit making it, or putting the set out. Maybe LEGO should put the set out again!
Legos and the Lego company are great. What a nice story. My 6 year old grandson absolutely loves Legos. He is getting 3 sets just from grandma and grandpa for Christnas. Well,,,, actually from Santa of course!!!!
Boy, I'll say that video was a tear-jerker...what a wonderful thing for the Lego Company to do...many kudos to those involved in making this boy's dream come true. You've restored a little bit of my faith in Corporate America!
As for James, I don't know many people of his age that would save so diligently for something they wanted. He is to be commended. You're a great kid, James!
Nice I bet that boy is very happy. If only more people could be like this.
The story says that Lego originally said it could not help him. Then changed its mind coincidentally around his b-day? Wonder what happened here? How could Lego, after reading his heart-breaking letter say it could not help him. Then what happened to make it go back to that same letter, re-evaluate it and then send out the train after all? Did the PR dept. get wind and decide this would make a perfect, holiday timed story for Lego? I sure hope not. I want to believe this was just plain goodness and hope it was.
my guess is that they did that to make the surprise even better...
Wow. My son has autism and all he wants for Christmas is a box of Legos and he loves trains and especially railroad signs. We got him a big box of legos with over 600 pieces. :)
My 11 year old daughter is totally into Lego. We have a crazy quantity of them. Last year, her elementary school joined First Lego League (FLL) ... Lego robots. They went to the state competition even. Got into design, computer programming, ... it was a fantastic experience. It all started from some blocks of plastic. She is going back this year to help mentor this years team. Great way to make education fun.
Kudos for Lego. Give your kid or grandkid a box instead of a new video game.
Jason
Not to be a wet blanket on all the enthusiasm - but... did anyone else catch the part in the story where Lego originally said that they could not help the child? This was AFTER first reading his heart-breaking letter. So, what made them go back to the letter and change their minds just in time for his birthday and the heavily toy shopped holiday season? Did a little PR/marketing bird intervene? Just wondering.... The point is they helped and that's great - but they should just be honest. If the intent was some nice positive media attention - it is what it is. I'll still continue buying lots of legos for my 6 year old son either way. Just thought I'd ask the questions.
Actually, it is a form of Autism. Both my husband and my son have it. I have done my reasearch. I don't know what you are so sensitive about it for. Almost every great inventor, scientist and artist is believed to have had Asperger's. Their obsessive tendencies in their areas of interest make them excel. Without them the world would not be the same.
It's nice to know there are still some big cooperations with big hearts.
way to go lego company and supporting staff,
after seeing how happy the boys was, that is truley happiness that fills anyones heart. It's nice to see that companys like lego are still exist:).
Thank you parents and Lego's. 2 great lessons here.
My late son James was Dx'ed as Auspergers and he was not only a Lego nut but also had a running email communication with several people in the company who, for many years, always took the time to respond to his questions and product suggestions. He too occasionally received a surprise package from Lego in the mail and it did more to make his day than anything his mother or I could do to put him in good spirits. His Mom has passed away, as did James at age 28, but his Lego collection will forever be with me as a reminder of how much happiness they gave him and how much happiness he gave our family
Way to go Lego! Lego went beyond the norm and made a young boy very happy. It is so nice to see a company that still cares. Legos are great, I still fool around with them at times when the kids leave them alone. I am 53 and still have some child left in me thanks to a great toy that can still teach a child so many things.
To young James Groccia, glad you went to the right people and were very sincere in your choice of toys. You do deserve that set as you went about getting it in a very special way. You worked at it and showed them your dedication to Lego sets. I hope you enjoy it very much. Also hope you get the track set that goes with it. Keep on building.
After reading this --- I have a son 30 and one 20 -- this inspired me to get them Legos for Christmas!! What a great gift!! They will have a blast!!! Great job Legos!!
Way to go Lego. Hopefully other companies will follow your example.
nice of lego to reward one of their biggest supporters of their brand by sending him that set even though at first they said they could sadly not help him since the thing had been retired. proving that Lego sure knows how to reward loyalty and also show they have the true holiday spirit and heart going out of their way to give the boy that train.
Whats awesome is the values the parents are teaching. Even when the video shows a Nice Stand-Up LCD Touch Screen Device w/ a Nice Shiney Pair of Headphones... Looks like they could of afforded to get the train for their kid for christmas lets say.. 1 or 2 years ago. Possibly for his birthday maybe? The reaction probably wouldn't be the same but the + time invested playing could be much more worth it.
More or Less,
Drive up to Burger King and say that you have a coupon for buy one get one free ( for my child who is extremely hungry whos been saving his lunch money forEVER ). Oh?!?! The coupon is expired? No More Buy One Get ONE!!!! AHHHHHH
Love the Values! Love the LEGO. Love the Burgers.
To the Customer Service representative that wrote the letter, EXCELLANT!!!!!!
Lego's should be proud of all those involved with making a young boys dream come true.
Every once in a blue moon someone say's stop, let's make a difference in someone's life and Lego's you did just that.
Nice, very very nice!