Lego Giraffe To Be Renamed Gio At Official Assembly Row Ceremony

SOMERVILLE, MA – Tessie, the 20-foot Lego giraffe outside of Legoland Discovery Center Boston, will officially become Gio at a ceremony next week. The Assembly Row shop recently announced it would rename the giraffe after 6-year-old Giovanni Maggiore, a Medford boy who died in April after battling congenital heart problems.

Gio's name was a finalist for April the Giraffe's calf, born at the Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville, NY after months of public anticipation. The calf was eventually named Tajiri. When his name wasn't chosen, a family friend and secretary at the Brooks School, where Gio was a student, reached out to Legoland Discovery Center and asked if a giraffe close to home could be renamed in Gio's honor.

The Lego giraffe was originally named Tessie in 2014. It is made up of 22,000 DUPLO bricks.

Giraffes were one of Gio's favorite animal. His first (and favorite) pacifier? It had a giraffe attached. His Halloween costume? A giraffe.

Gio will get his giraffe Wednesday, May 31 outside of Legoland at 598 Assembly Row. A ceremony will be held at 3 p.m. to rename the giraffe Gio. Chris, Maya and Marmen Maggiore, Gio's parents and younger sister; Megan Amaral, Legoland master model builder; David Gilmore, Legoland general manager; and Gio's family and friends will be on hand to usher in the Gio era.

The ceremony will also include an unveiling of a special addition to the Lego giraffe in honor of Gio.