V for Victory: Building blocks to recovery

Ben Becker
·2 min read

A popular Jacksonville pizza restaurant has opened a new store, but pizza is not on the menu. Legos are.

V for Victory in San Marco helps kids battling cancer.

Action News Jax’s Ben Becker sat down with Lisa and Jeremiah Johnson, whose 8-year-old son, Thomas, is fighting leukemia.

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He was diagnosed on March 21, just nine days after his birthday.

“How many tearful nights have there been?” Becker asked.

“Too many to count,” Lisa replied. “As this has happened, thinking my child is going to die as we are putting up a Christmas tree wondering if it might be the last time.”

Thomas has been using Legos at V for Victory as a building block for his recovery.

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V for Victory was founded in 2017 after the son of a V Pizza owner was diagnosed with leukemia.

Lego donated 6,500 sets to the cause, worth nearly $500,000. Children and families dealing with cancer come by this store and pick up Legos to help ease their pain.

Jacklyn Overby is the executive director.

“We try to instill positivity and hope as much as we can because that’s what we have to hold on to,” she said.

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The organization has also provided more than 10,000 free meals this year to local families, and it works with hundreds of small businesses to provide an average of 350 direct services to families going through cancer treatment, including lawn care, home cleaning and car repairs.

Pam Wagner met Thomas at the San Marco store. She’s battling stage 3 breast cancer and the two have now formed a close friendship.

“It’s given me hope in a very grim time to know there are others out there like me, inspiring me to keep pushing and doing what I need to do,” Wagner said.

Thomas’s parents say their little leukemia warrior will keep fighting the good fight. And the little Legos make a big impact.

Lisa said, “When he was in the hospital, all he did was Legos. They made him smile, made him happy.”

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