Wishing to give back to HSS for the care he received and inspired by how building Legos provided comfort and purpose during his own recovery, Devin hopes the sets he creates will encourage young patients and lift their spirits.

He came up with the idea one day while recalling his stay at HSS after surgery. “I shared a room with a boy my age who had cerebral palsy,” Devin explained. “He told me that he had 11 surgeries throughout his life. I thought about how Legos could help patients like him who are facing boredom, a lack of purpose, and other challenges, just like Legos helped me in my own recovery.”

To obtain used Lego donations, Devin and his mother posted a request in a Facebook Moms group. Boxes of Legos containing thousands of bricks—many random pieces—came pouring in! He uses an app that gives him ideas to create kits with 50 to 100 Lego bricks.

Patient Antonia Marotta of Long Island was pleasantly surprised to receive Devin’s gift at Lerner Children’s Pavilion this week. “It makes me feel great; it was really nice. Recovery can be really hard, so having something to do makes it a lot easier,” said 15-year-old Antonia.  

Antonia’s mother, Laura, was moved by Devin’s thoughtful gift. “The donation means a lot to us because the days are long here, so it’s been great to have something to pass the time,” she said. “But I think more importantly, it means a lot more coming from someone that actually sat in this hospital in this bed and really understands what it feels like to go through something like this.” 

Devin’s Injury

The Connecticut teenager suffered one of the worst knee injuries imaginable during a long jump event, tearing all four ligaments and dislocating his knee. After complex reconstructive surgery at HSS, the accomplished high school athlete faced a long and challenging recovery. His parents had an idea: could assembling Legos provide a welcome diversion, even comfort him? It worked!

“Building those huge Lego sets kept my mind sharp and kept my spirits up,” Devin explained. Unable to drive, play sports, work, or go places with his friends, he says the activity gave him a purpose during his 10-month recovery.

Referred to HSS for “One of the Most Challenging Surgeries”

After his injury, Devin and his parents consulted with several orthopedic surgeons in Connecticut. Due to the difficult surgery involved, he was referred to Dr. Anil Ranawat, Chief of Hip and Knee Preservation of the Sports Medicine Institute at HSS in New York City. “The surgeons we had consulted before Dr. Ranawat said it was a rare and complicated case, and they didn’t feel comfortable doing the surgery,” explained Jennifer Crowley, Devin’s mom.

“Tearing all four knee ligaments is one of the most devastating sports injuries someone can have,” Dr. Ranawat explains. “It is also one of the most challenging reconstructive surgeries to perform because you’re working around the nerves and arteries in the knee that must be protected.”

Dr. Ranawat performed what orthopedic surgeons call an “around the world surgery,” reconstructing all the ligaments in Devin’s knee. It took seven hours in the O.R.    

After his successful surgery, they kept in touch with phone calls and texts if Devin had a question in between doctor visits. “Devin was a phenomenal patient, he worked really hard. We became like friends,” Dr. Ranawat said. “It’s important to develop trust with your patients; you build a bond with them.”  

When Devin wanted to try the high jump wearing a brace after many months of rehab, Dr. Ranawat asked Devin to send him videos so he could monitor his progress. Now recovered, Devin recently broke his own record for the sport.  

A “Pass the Bricks” Ambassador

Devin is an ambassador for “Pass the Bricks,” a national nonprofit organization whose volunteers collect discarded Lego sets and parts to repurpose and rebuild them for kids who may not have access to the toy. Designing and assembling sets from random Lego bricks is painstaking work. In between schoolwork and applying to college, Devin says he is happy to devote the time needed if he can brighten the day of young patients at HSS.