Believe it or not, some truly remarkable things have been made entirely with Lego blocks. But, starting at the age of ten years old, this now 15-year-old teen has managed to build something that’s shattered records.
Just about everyone has played with lego blocks as children; it’s the ultimate toy that speaks to our creative side.
However, there are those who take lego building to entirely new levels, like Brynjar Karl.
Karl is from Iceland, and by the time he was three, it was clear that he was different from other children.
“Suddenly, I couldn’t say all the things I wanted to say. All the words I had learned disappeared into a fog […] I changed from a happy boy into an unhappy and lonely boy.” – Brynjar Karl.
Karl’s confusion continued for the next two years; then, by age five, his parents took him to a specialist doctor who would eventually diagnose their son with autism.
Karl’s teachers and parents were able to make the changes needed to benefit Karl’s development, such as teaching with pictures instead of words.
But, just as his condition took abilities away, it also seems to have given Karl new gifts. For instance, he could create the most incredible things just using lego blocks. And Karl has always been fascinated by ships, so he studied them in great detail.
Naturally, it was only a matter of time before Karl combined his love of legos with his passion for ships.
By the time he was 10, Karl had learned everything one could know about the Titanic. That’s when he decided to make a scale model of the famous ship entirely out of legos. The ship’s scale would be set using the average-sized lego person as the human occupants.
Karl started studying blueprints for the Titanic in great detail. His grandfather also helped him come up with a strategy for building his model.
The young boy soon began raising enough money online to buy the lego bricks he needed, which were about 56,000 pieces in all.
Once he had the materials, Karl began his long project. Over the next 11 months, he spent a total of 700 hours building the ship.
The final ship measures six and a half meters long and is considered the world’s largest Titanic replica.
“I learned what really drove me to the finish line.” – Brynjar Karl.
By age 11, Karl had finished his masterpiece.
Karl’s in high school today and wishes to become a sea captain in his native Iceland. It’s obvious that this young man has the necessary drive, passion, and skills to make his dream come true. This Lego Titanic project has taught Karl that anything is within his reach if he applies himself to the task.
The teen also shared his message and story with others in 2016 when he gave a well-received TED talk. People online have since showered Karl with praise.
It’s clear that Karl is inspiring millions worldwide to succeed no matter their circumstances. And that alone is a remarkable achievement, even more so than his Titanic replica.
You can watch a video about Karl’s remarkable story below.
Plus, you can watch his TED Talk below.
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Sources:
- “Child with autism breaks records by making world’s largest Titanic replica out of 56,000 Legos” Faith Tap