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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:
I need a box of Kleenex please?
What a wonderful thing to watch instead of all negative bad news we see all the time, I am so happy for him. My son is crazy for Lego since he was 3 years old, today he is fourteen and he is actually doing a project for school for the end of this week and he is using Lego. Question for parents whose kids are crazy for Lego and there are Lego's all over your house...Have you stepped on a Lego piece before? ouch!
Basically, that letter was just begging and I don't think that's good parenting to tell your kid to beg and play on other's emotions by playing up your "disability" of Asperger's. Now the kid wants the tracks - there is no end to his greed.
wow...you are just a real ray of sunshine...
When a company discontinues a product every effort is made to sell all inventory so I honestly believe LEGO didn't know they even had any Emerald Night Train sets around. Someone inside the company did some extraordinary digging to give this little boy something special.
I remember playing with LEGO brand blocks when they were first sold in the U.S., (oops, did I just date myself?), and they were indestructible. Kudos to the LEGO company for showing us all that people still do care.
I find this a very inspiring story! My oldest son still likes Legos at 20 and plays with his 10 brother with them. While I know it is not a practice of most company to give a gift like this, I must say that Legos did a wonderful job touching this child's heart. It is acts of this magnitude that inspire youth to choose to become the engineers, designers and other careers. One day this child may be one of the worlds best builders.I personally feel that should encourage and inspire children in this way. Everything is for the kids!
OK, i grew up with LEGOS as a big part of my childhood, and every Christmas i would ask for the big expensive sets, being a child i didn't realize we were BROKE and on WELFARE BUT no matter the cost, my parents ALWAYS got me the Legos i wanted for Christmas, now you may think I'm spoiled but no, the more complicated sets were a family affair, me dad mom brother all sitting at the table working togther as a FAMILY having a good loving time, my point here is this, Making him SAVE his own MONEY mind he was 8 OR 9, mind his parents didn't Even know his age when he asked for the train set, whats he supposed to do? get a job? and i understand the wanting to teach him responsibility but 2 years? hes 8! hes a CHILD they are the PARENTS, teach responsibility elsewhere as in CLEAN UP YOUR TOYS? maybe? and the icing on the cake hes Autistic? yeah real heart warming story here.. thank god someone at LEGO had a A HEART when the read the letter the KID WROTE HIMSELF mind you NOT the parents, maybe this year he should ask for a bigger heart for daddy.
I remember when I was a kid, being that excited over oddly enough, a train set. One that never came.
I'm glad his did, well played Lego.
Kudos to the Lego employee who did some searching and found an extra box. Would like to hear that story.
OK, i grew up with LEGOS as a big part of my childhood, and every Christmas i would ask for the big expensive sets, being a child i didn't realize we were BROKE and on WELFARE BUT no matter the cost, my parents ALWAYS got me the legos i wanted for Christmas, now you may think I'm spoiled but no, the more complicated sets were a family affair, me dad mom brother all sitting at the table working together as a FAMILY having a good loving time, my point here is this, Making him SAVE his own MONEY mind he was 8 OR 9, mind his parents didn't Even know his age when he asked for the train set, whats he supposed to do? get a job? and i understand the wanting to teach him responsibility but 2 years? hes 8! hes a CHILD they are the PARENTS, teach responsibility elsewhere as in CLEAN UP YOUR TOYS? maybe? and the icing on the cake hes Autistic? yeah real heart warming story here.. thank god someone at LEGO had a A HEART when the read the letter the KID WROTE HIMSELF mind you NOT the parents, maybe this year he should ask for a bigger heart for daddy.
Kudos to the Lego employee who searched and found an extra set. Would like to hear that story too.
You have made one 12 year old boy very happy. Way cool Lego's for making this happen. I am proud to say that I live in Connecticut.
All i can say is WOW. and because they put this up near the holidays it makes even more of an impact. its nice to see that there are still people to care in this world. It kind of reminds me of "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens.
My Dad, introduced me to Lego's in 1974 when we were stationed in Kitzgen Germany. I had never seen a toy like Legos before and I built with it for hours on end.
Now as a parent of a 17yr old this story shows that there are still people out there who not only love Lego's but love thier children enough to show them that not everything is free. I commend not only the parents for instilling the value of savings in their child but the young man for having the determination to save up for it.
The parents should be very proud considering the diagnosis thier child has. I also have to commend the company Lego's for all that they have done for children in the last 30+ years. All the minds they have touched is truly remarkable. Kudo's Lego's.
I love seeing a story like this but always, always become discouraged at how many sour faced individuals there are out there in the world just looking for a way to put a damper on someones day. Maybe they all need to do like the Grinch who stole Christmas and have their hearts grow 3 sizes larger. Maybe then they can appreciate the little things in the world like this young man getting the toy of his dreams.
Again Kudo's to They Young Man, His Parents and Lego's for making his wish come true.
My hat's off to Lego! My oldest (7) loves Lego's as well as our younger children, I am so glad to support, and will continue to support, a company that remembers their consumer!! Such a great story in a day in age where many businesses could have cared less.
Great story!
My son has Autism Spectrum disorder, is 9 years old, and plays with Legos every single day. He has many sets and will be getting more this year for Christmas. He recently wrote a letter to Lego via email asking them to create Lego Adventure Time (cartoon) sets. He wants to create Lego sets someday and has asked me to help him create custom legos with him. He has already created his own Walking Dead set lol
Lego - kudos to you!
Every once in a great while you hear a story of the big companies in the large corporate world helping the little guy that brings a tear to your eye.. This one did it to me. Great job Lego.
I am proud to be able to support a company like this.
things like tis restore your faith in buisnesses. this is why LEGO is all capitals !!
Glad to see the lego kid was able to get one of these train that are hard to come by.....look like a nicetrain.....
Lego is a great company with many variety of toy.....more later world....
My child is Autistic, this kid is far from the spectrum. u got to give it to mom for playing on it!
way to go lego!
Just think, within our own lifetimes it will probably be possible to diagnose such conditions in the womb and burn a little James to death with a saline solution or tear him into pieces so he and others like him won't have to live what the Nazis so tenderly called 'Lives not worth living.' (As opposed to...say... a Kardashian). As it is already, about 90% of mothers already murder their Down's Syndrome babies. We are practically there! Oh, brave new world!
wtf??
Loser
Bravo Lego...Bravo. You have my respect and admiration for being a wonderful company.
(I still have mine, in a can, for almost 40 years now.)
Love the positive feedback. Nice to read something that's great news. This boy is one lucky boy! I do agree with the parents in teaching him the lesson of chores and saving. Beautiful story. Praise the Email Lego guy God Bless You! Its so sweet of you to share his dream and hard work. Which eventually after two long years paid off! Way to go! All around awesome two thumbs story brought tears to my eyes! Thanks Lego for making this reality and also I will continue to spend tons on Lego's for my son with Lego land and all the Lego's we continue to buy. Husband loves them to and will continue to be our second kid! Thanks!
Lego is a fabulous company. When my 12 year old grandsons dad passed away this past summer, they sent him 2 Lego sets. My daughter called them looking for something specific that she had seen and they asked why she wanted it and she explained the situation and there was not one but two sets. They are all about children. My grandson is now taking a class in which he programs robots and the bodies are made of Legos. I think Lego will be a part of our family for years to come.
Lego's are a fantastic product and even I enjoy building them with my daughters and Im 53.And now we learn they are a fantastic company and a company that can be proud.Take note corporate America and Washington DC.