By The children at Massachusetts General Hospital got a special delivery this week when TikTok creator and Guiness World Record holder Russell Cassevah showed up with $5,000 worth of Legos.
He has made a name for himself on social media where he regularly posts photos and videos of all the work he’s doing for his charity Little Bricks, which collects Legos for hospitalized children all over the country. A video on TikTok shows him filling up his shopping cart with toy sets for the young kids just a few days before the big drop-off.
“We build big smiles on hospitalized kids by getting Lego sets into the hands of children who truly deserve to smile and when they need it the most,” Cassevah said on social media last week.
He started the project after trying to make a name for himself as a Lego-walker.
“I broke the Guinness World Record for walking on Legos, and I learned how amazing Lego sets are for children in the hospital,” Cassevah said.
In fact, he has broken the Guinness World Record for walking on Legos barefoot three times. But all the walking did a number on his feet.
“I ended up going to the hospital and had over a hundred micro-abrasions on both feet. I had no feeling in my feet for weeks. It was insane,” he said.
But it was worth it. He ended up garnering over 7 million likes on TikTok with close to half a million followers. After breaking his second world record, Cassevah decided to cash in and focus on spreading joy to children in need.
“I cashed out my 401(k), and I have been traveling the nation helping these amazing families,” he said. “I’m one of the lucky people who has found their purpose in life.”
Mike Lorenzo, whose son Cole suffers from a rare condition that causes his organs to grow faster than normal, eventually found Cassevah on TikTok and decided to reach out for help.
“I reached out to him, and I said, hey, my son has been in and out of Mass General Hospital the past almost three years now,” Lorenzo said. “I was wondering if he would come down to Mass. General Hospital for Little Bricks Charity and donate to the kids at the hospital. And he’s like, absolutely.”
“I heard Cole’s story and it broke my heart. I was like where is Cole’s hospital? They were like here in Massachusetts. I had never been to Massachusetts yet. This is perfect,” said Cassevah.
Soon after, he showed up to the hospital with a cart full of Legos.
@littlebrickscharityguy Such an amazing experience! Dropping off $5,000 worth of #LEGO to #MassGeneralforChildren #webuildbigsmiles #littlebrickscharity
“When I pulled up to the front of Mass. General Children, I was just floored at the amount of love that their team was just showering upon us,” Lorenzo said.
“He just loves building. It keeps him occupied. It reduces his anxiety about being poked and prodded all the time. He can sit there and build and not worry at least for a little bit,” said Cole’s mom Nicole. “Cole was born with Beckwith Wiedemann Syndrome. He was born at 30 weeks gestation. He has had numerous surgeries.”
Having Legos around can make a big difference when you’re stuck in the hospital as a kid.
“The essence of our role here is to be sure that while the kids are hospitalized that they are still able to be kids and play is certainly a huge part. Diversion is crucial to their healing,” said Child Life Manager Ann Pizzano.
Cassevah also gave a shout out to all his followers for supporting his cause by donating Legos online.
“The amazing thing about Little Bricks Charity is it isn’t just me, it’s the little bricks nation,” he told reporters. “It’s all my followers. They all come together.”
The charity has already donated $60,000 worth of Legos to 16 different hospitals. This year, it plans on donating as much as $100,000 worth of bricks to hospitals in the U.S. and Canada.
