In between classes, many students may recognize a bustling, curly-haired male carrying a laptop bag over his shoulder, greeting classmates left and right. This lively individual is sophomore Nils Erik Robert Ekdahl. While many may know him just as a simple, nice, and polite guy who loves to play videogames and tell jokes, Ekdahl has had an unusual life story that has made him the friendly and animated character he is today.

Ekdahl was born and raised in Winter Garden, Fla. Prior to moving to Lexington in 2014, Ekdahl had also lived in Cape Coral and Fort Myers, Fla. He described his childhood as being ordinary and “nothing special”. He grew up with his three older sisters, Natalie (20), Martha (24) and Jessica (26), in addition to his father, Robert, and his mother, Elizabeth. As a child, Ekdahl played a variety of sports and spent time playing with Legos, a hobby that would end up shaping his future.

“As a kid, I played basketball for a while because I was pretty tall as a child. I then switched to playing soccer and tennis in middle school,” said Ekdahl. “However, throughout my childhood and up to this day, Legos have really been my true love.”

Unlike most, Ekdahl has attended not only public schools, but private ones as well, and has even been homeschooled. While he believes that each type has its advantages and disadvantages, he prefers attending public schools because of the diverse student population and real-world experiences found within them.

“I personally believe that public schools are simply better because of the experiences it gives and social skills one gains from them,” said Ekdahl.

Ekdahl moved to Rockbridge County in 2014 and attended Maury River Middle School for his eighth grade year. As a result of financial issues in his family, Ekdahl and his mother left Fort Myers and moved to Lexington, a town where his grandparents were born and raised in. Ekdahl’s father currently lives in Fort Myers and is a real estate agent.

“My mom always wanted to live in Lexington because of her family and always wanted to raise her children here,” said Ekdahl. “My parents are not separated. My dad lives in Florida because that is where his job is and where he can earn money to support us.”

Although Ekdahl’s family situation may be different from most, he does not believe it has impacted him in a negative way.

“I usually go see my dad once a month,” said Ekdahl. “I am not really affected by him living away from us. As a kid, my father was always working to pay for my sisters’ college tuition, so there was very little bonding one might expect from a father and a son.”

In Rockbridge County, Ekdahl is a member of the high school wrestling team and is a star-ranked boy scout, a rank earned by obtaining merit badges and being an active member in the troop. He has been a boy scout for 10 years and sees many differences between scouting in Florida and Virginia.

“Scouting allowed me the opportunity to explore outside more than I would have normally had the chance to do in suburban Florida,” said Ekdahl. “In Virginia, scouting is completely different, with the mountains and trails. Instead of simply going outside, we do more challenging activities like five-mile hikes or winter camping.”

After high school, Ekdahl has plans to graduate from James Madison University with a bachelor’s degree in architecture. He then hopes to later earn his master’s degree in architecture and start his own firm. Ekdahl has always wanted to be an architect because of his love for creating and building with Legos.

“I remember getting my first lego set when I was about four,” said Ekdahl. “Ever since then, Legos have just been something I have always loved to do and is why I decided to take drafting courses in high school and want to become an architect in the future.”

While the future is still uncertain for Ekdahl, he hopes to continue being the positive and funny person that his peers know and love.