Over the past few years Auldin Maxwell has accumulated a stack of world records.

Two of the Salmon Arm teen鈥檚 latest record-breaking achievements earned him prestigious placement near the front of the just released 2024 Guinness World Records. One was for the most Jenga blocks (1,840) stacked on one vertical block. The other was for the most Jenga Giant blocks (900) stacked on one vertical Jenga Giant block.

The records broken by the 15-year-old Auldin were his own.

鈥淚t鈥檚 such an honour, especially because he鈥檚 basically the first record of the book right in the editor鈥檚 letter,鈥� said Kelly Murray, Auldin鈥檚 mother. 鈥淭hey put him right in the beginning of the book. It is really cool.鈥�

Auldin was given similar placement in the 2022 edition of Guinness World Records, said Murray. At that point he鈥檇 achieved three world records for stacking Jenga blocks, his first achieved in November 2020 with 693 blocks stacked on one.

His knack for stacking and the attention received from Guinness made Auldin something of a viral sensation, with his success being shared world over, including a nod by Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show, a story in the New York Times and, more recently, a December 2022 piece on young 鈥渕aster gamers and puzzlers鈥� in U.K. publication The Guardian.

鈥淲e did an online interview with a lady from London and they sent a Vancouver photographer to our house in Salmon Arm to do a photo shoot in our living room,鈥� said Murray of the Guardian story.

Murray said the 鈥渕edia storm鈥� experience was very exciting but also very stressful, and after it subsided, 鈥渨e kind of took a bit of a break.鈥� But she said Guinness has been consistently supportive of Auldin.

鈥淲henever he does something or wants to plan something, they always say you know we鈥檙e here for you and talk to us, we鈥檒l help you out however we can,鈥� said Murray. 鈥淭hey want to have knowledge about what he鈥檚 doing and then they make him a priority when we attempt something.鈥�

Auldin鈥檚 towering accomplishment also caught the attention of Jenga鈥檚 owner, who gifted him 24 packs of Jenga Giant blocks.

Despite what his world records might suggest, Jenga isn鈥檛 the only thing Auldin does for fun and/or to challenge himself. The Grade 10 student loves playing basketball, is an avid Rubik鈥檚 鈥淐uber鈥� (Murray said he has more than 100, all different), and has also proven to be proficient at bowling.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 something he just picked up a year and a half ago,鈥� said Murray. 鈥淟ast year was his first year of bowling in a league and he got bowler of the year for youth league and got third amongst all the adults.鈥�

When Auldin does get the urge to begin stacking, Murray prepares for another potential record-breaking moment.

鈥淚f he just all of a sudden says, 鈥極K, I鈥檓 going to stack鈥欌�� and it鈥檚 usually just a few times a year, I鈥檒l just stop what I鈥檓 doing and I鈥檒l stay up with him until late at night,鈥� said Murray. 鈥淚鈥檒l just get my camera out and film him just for fun.

鈥淗e tries to break his own goals unofficially whenever he feels like it. It鈥檚 kind of once in a blue moon, but this is a skill that he has that he can just do anytime. He doesn鈥檛 practice; he just does it. It鈥檚 like a gift. He just has this amazing stacking ability.鈥�

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