Tragedy struck Prescott Valley, Arizona on April 1, 2024, as the Legado apartment construction project burnt down due to arson. The community was temporarily left in shock. But from the ashes, a surprising and heartwarming story has emerged — led by a young boy with big dreams and even bigger heart.
Meet Elijah, a local kid with a passion for fish tanks, RC cars, drumming, and, above all else, construction. In the wake of the Legado fire, Elijah didn’t just sit by and wonder what could have been. Instead, he picked up his glue gun, grabbed a pack of popsicle sticks, and decided to rebuild Legado in his own special way — one tiny stick at a time.
“Well, it was a negative impact on our community when it burned down,” Elijah explained. “So I thought I would make a positive impact and start building one (Legado) of my own.”
And that’s exactly what he did.
The Popsicle Stick Legado is Rising as the Real Legado Takes Shape
Starting on December 29, 2024, Elijah began crafting a scale model of the Legado apartments entirely out of popsicle sticks. And not just a few. So far, his project has used an incredible 8,250 sticks! But Elijah isn’t stopping there. Elijah spends time every night working on his Legado. He has gathered supplies from Walmart (glue and popsicle sticks), and tiny lights from Dollar General. He has plans to get plexiglass or real glass from Home Depot, and miniature bricks and shingles from Amazon. As Elijah’s Legado continues to rise, the real Legado is already being reconstructed in the heart of Prescott Valley, AZ.
Fain Signature Group and Founders Building Group Connection
Elijah’s efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. He recently met team members from the Fain Signature Group and Founders Building Group — the community builders behind Legado. They invited Elijah to tour the construction site and even shared the official building site map with him, giving him a behind-the-scenes look that would make any future architect beam with pride.
With wide eyes and a builder’s determination, Elijah continues his nightly mission — not just to glue popsicle sticks, but to inspire hope, creativity, and joy in a town still recovering from loss. His Legado may be miniature, but the message behind it is anything but small.
Elijah is more than just a cool kid — he’s a builder of dreams, a symbol of positivity, and a reminder that even the smallest efforts can inspire an entire community.
