200+ Lego Sets Donated to Arkansas Kids' Hospital

When Sawyer Greenfield was 10 years old and battling leukemia, Lego sets gave him something to focus on besides his overwhelming hospital experience. Now 16, he watched on Friday as more than 200 Lego sets arrived at Arkansas Children's Hospital Northwest to help other kids the same way those colorful bricks once helped him.

The massive donation came from a partnership between Springdale's new Bricks & Minifigs store and LittleBricks Charity, a national nonprofit that delivers building sets to hospitalized children. Store co-owner Melissa Butrymoicz knows firsthand how powerful those little plastic pieces can be.

After battling a brain tumor and aneurysm in her mid-40s, Butrymoicz used Legos to retrain her brain and practice coordination during recovery. When she and her husband Marty decided to open their Springdale store, donating to the local children's hospital was a priority.

She reached out to Russell Cassevah, founder of LittleBricks Charity, who quit his job and cashed out his retirement to start the nonprofit after setting a Guinness world record for walking barefoot across Lego bricks. He says he found his life's purpose in that painful achievement.

"I now travel the nation," Cassevah said. "I deliver Legos, and I create custom little bricks build experiences for children's hospitals, raising the mental health of kids when they need it the most."

Why This Inspires

Since launching, LittleBricks has reached more than 21,000 patients across 62 hospitals nationwide. Friday's delivery to Arkansas Children's marked the charity's fifth visit to Northwest Arkansas.

For young patients facing surgeries or long treatment days, the sets offer something priceless: a mental escape. Greenfield remembers how exciting it was to know he'd have something fun to build, no matter how long his hospital stay lasted.

"My hope is that the kids can get joy out of this and take their mind off of what they're battling," Butrymoicz said. She can't imagine facing health battles as a child when it was so difficult as an adult.

Cassevah, who shares his charity work as @littlebrickscharityguy on TikTok, believes creators have a responsibility to spread positivity. "Any time any creator can go above and beyond and show the world that there's still people who want to make a difference, it's not just a privilege, but it's a necessity," he said.

The Bricks & Minifigs store celebrated its grand opening Saturday, already making a difference in its community before officially opening its doors.