Giant Lego man washes ashore on Sarasota beach (VIDEO)
Beachgoers snapped photos and shot videos of the larger-than-life Lego man that washed up on Sarasota’s Siesta Key beach.
A Giant Lego Man washed ashore on a Sarasota, Fla., beach on Tuesday. The fiberglass figure is eight feet tall, 100 pounds and wears a t-shirt emblazoned with the name "Ego Leonard" and the curious message, “NO REAL THAN YOU ARE,” the Washington Post reports.
A local man, Jeff Hindman, found the Lego man drifting in the surf during a pre-dawn stroll along Siesta Key beach, according to the Sarasota-Herald Tribune. The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office hauled the Lego man away, the Washington Post reports, but not before beachgoers snapped photos and shot videos of the larger-than-life figure.
A spokeswoman for Legoland told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune that the figure was not manufactured by Lego and is not a publicity stunt by Legoland or its parent company, Merlin Entertainments Group.
Reporters for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune believe the Lego man’s creator is an artist known as Ego Leonard who’s represented by St. Art Gallery in the Netherlands.
The artist is reportedly behind similar incidents of Lego men washing up on beaches in Holland in 2007 and England in 2008.
Sarasota Herald-Tribune reporters contacted the artist and received the following email in response: "I am glad I crossed over. Although it was a hell of a swimm. Nice weather here and friendly people. I think I am gonna stay here for a while. A local sheriff escorted me to my new home."
If no one claims the Lego man from the authorities in 90 days, Hindman will own it. He’s already decided to sell it on eBay, the Washington Post reports.
The World is an independent newsroom. We’re not funded by billionaires; instead, we rely on readers and listeners like you. As a listener, you’re a crucial part of our team and our global community. Your support is vital to running our nonprofit newsroom, and we can’t do this work without you. Will you support The World with a gift today? Donations made between now and Dec. 31 will be matched 1:1. Thanks for investing in our work!