♪ SEAN: -- KAREN: IN A CITY OF SKYSCRAPERS, THE JOHN HANCOCK TOWER STANDS THE TALLEST OF THEM ALL.
62 STORIES SHOOTING HIGH INTO THE SKY ABOVE BOSTON.
DYLAN VILELA DREAMS OF RIDING THE ELEVATOR TO THE TOP.
>> I’VE NEVER GOTTEN INTO THAT BUILDING.
I WALKED INTO THE LOBBY ONCE AND WE WERE TOLD TO LEAVE BECAUSE WE WEREN’T VISITING SOMEONE.
KAREN: BUT THE 15-YEAR-OLD ELEVATOR ENTHUSIAST HAS RIDDEN JUST ABOUT EVERY OTHER LIFT IN BOSTON, NEW YORK CITY, AND NEW HAMPSHIRE.
>> I’LL GO TO MANCHESTER AND I’LL GO TO THE BRADY SULLIVAN PLAZA.
20 FLOORS, YOU KNOW, THAT’S THE BEST YOU CAN GET IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
KAREN: HE VENTURES FROM HIS HOME IN BEDFORD TO BIG CITIES TO FEED HIS PASSION.
>> WHEN YOU GO TO NEW YORK CITY, IT’S LIKE 60 FLOOR HOTELS.
THAT JUST BRINGS SO MUCH JOY TO ME.
♪ KAREN: HIS MOM SURPRISED HIM THIS SUMMER WITH A BIRTHDAY TRIP TO THE BIG APPLE, ALTHOUGH SHE DIDN’T QUITE KNOW WHAT SHE WAS GETTING HERSELF INTO.
>> I WARNED MY MOM.
I’M LIKE MOM, I’M MAKING THIS PLAN.
I MAPPED IT ALL OUT WHERE WE WERE GOING TO GO.
STREET BY STREET.
KAREN: THEY RODE 110 ELEVATORS IN ONE DAY.
>> WE GOT UP AT LIKE 6:00 IN THE MORNING, HAD BREAKFAST, AND WENT OUT AND GOT BACK AT LIKE 10:00 AT NIGHT.
I DON’T EVEN KNOW HOW MY MOM SURVIVED.
>> EXHAUSTED.
WHEN I GET BACK AT NIGHT, MY LEGS WANTED TO COLLAPSE.
THE FIRST NIGHT WE DIDN’T EVEN GO OUT TO DINNER.
I THINK WE GOT ROOM SERVICE.
AND DYLAN WASN’T EVEN DONE.
HE’S LIKE I’M GOING TO RIDE THE ELEVATOR DOWNSTAIRS.
>> IT WAS AMAZING.
AND IT’S JUST CRAZY TO THINK ABOUT LIKE EVERY HOTEL I WENT TO WAS LIKE 30 FLOORS OR ABOVE SO I WAS IN LIKE MY NATURAL HABITAT.
♪ KAREN: DYLAN’S OBSESSION WITH ELEVATORS BEGAN WHEN HE WAS 3.
HIS GRANDFATHER TOOK HIM FOR JOY RIDES.
>> I FELT THIS MOTION OF GOING UP AND I WAS LIKE, WELL, THIS IS COOL.
SO WE DID THAT ABOUT FIVE TIMES, AND THEN HE TOOK ME TO A SECOND PLACE AND WE DID THE SAME THING.
KAREN: DYLAN WAS HOOKED.
RIDING ELEVATORS BECAME HIS SPORT.
HE READS ELEVATOR MANUALS FOR FUN.
THROW OUT A RANDOM BUILDING OR HOTEL AND HE’LL RATTLE OFF THE ELEVATOR’S SPECS.
THE PLAZA IN NEW YORK.
>> THOSE HAVE OTIS ELEVATORS AND A COOL THING ABOUT THEM IS THAT THOSE ARE NOT THE ORIGINAL ELEVATORS.
KAREN: HOW ABOUT THE WESTIN COPLEY PLACE IN BOSTON.
>> THOSE ELEVATORS ARE FUJITEC ELEVATORS.
THEY’RE 36 FLOORS.
800 FEET PER MINUTE.
3,500 CAPACITY.
♪ KAREN: HE COLLECTS FACTS AND ARTIFACTS.
HIS BEDROOM LOOKS LIKE A MUSEUM.
>> THIS IS WHERE I KEEP A LOT OF MY STUFF.
KAREN: OLD ELEVATOR CONTROL PANELS, LIGHTS AND BUTTONS.
>> THIS ACTUALLY CAME OUT OF THE OLD MACY’S IN BEDFORD.
KAREN: MEMORABILIA FROM HIS 1400 ELEVATOR RIDES.
DYLAN MAINLY TRAVELS IN HOTEL LIFTS BECAUSE THE LOBBIES ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
WE TAG ALONG AS HE AND HIS MOM CRUISE THE GRANDE DAME OF BOSTON, THE FAIRMONT COPLEY PLAZA.
>> HERE’S THE ELEVATORS.
THEY’RE GOLD.
>> OH YEAH.
KAREN: BETWEEN FLOORS, DYLAN SIZES UP THE LIFT.
>> I LIKE HOW THEY MODERNIZED IT TO STILL HAVE THE OLD CAB.
KAREN: HE’LL DRAG ANYONE HE CAN ON HIS EXCURSIONS.
MOM IS USUALLY GAME.
>> IT GOT A LITTLE OVERWHELMING.
IT TOOK A LOT OF GETTING USED TO.
KAREN: BUT HIS LITTLE SISTER, THERE’S ONLY ONE WAY DYLAN GETS HER TO COME ALONG.
>> HE BRIBES ME.
KAREN: 11-YEAR-OLD LEXI NOT A FAN OF LOITERING ON LIFTS.
>> THEY’RE SO BORING.
I JUST, I DO NOT ENJOY THEM AT ALL.
♪ >> DYLAN FINDS FELLOW HOBBYISTS ONLINE.
HIS PERSONAL YOUTUBE CHANNEL, WHERE HE POSTS VIDEO OF HIS ELEVATOR RIDES, BOASTS MORE THAN 600 FOLLOWERS.
>> I ALWAYS GET ASKED, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT IS ABOUT IT THAT YOU LIKE?
IT’S EVERYTHING, THE MECHANICS AND JUST HOW IT WORKS AND EVERYTHING.
KAREN: HE’S GOT HIS FAVORITES.
THE FASTEST.
>> 1600 FEET PER MINUTE.
THAT WAS ONE WORLD TRADE CENTER IN NEW YORK CITY.
KAREN: THE COOLEST.
>> IT’S 45 FLOORS.
THE ELEVATORS ARE GLASS.
THAT IS MY FAVORITE OF ALL TIME.
IT’S THE MARRIOT MARQUIS IN TIMES SQUARE.
KAREN: AND, OF COURSE, HIS FANTASY.
WHAT’S YOUR BIG DREAM AROUND HERE?
THE JOHN HANCOCK.
>> -- >> THE JOHN HANCOCK.
KAREN: YOU CAN GO?
>> NO, BECAUSE SECURITY IS SO TIGHT.
KAREN: WE HAVE A SURPRISE FOR YOU TODAY.
WE ACTUALLY GOT PERMISSION FOR YOU TO RIDE THE ELEVATOR AT THE JOHN HANCOCK TOWER ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP.
>> REALLY?
OH MY GOD.
THAT’S LIKE MY DREAM.
YOU EXCITED?
YOU CAN HUG YOUR MOM ♪ KAREN: AWED AND WIDE EYED, DYLAN TAKES IN THE SOARING OFFICE BUILDING.
>> ISN’T THIS CRAZY?
KAREN: NOT MUCH TIME TO STUDY THE INTRICACIES OF THE CAB, THE RIDE TO THE TOP, LESS THAN A MINUTE.
♪ KAREN: IT’S ABOUT AS FAST AS ANY ELEVATOR TRAVELS.
>> THEY PROBABLY GO 1400, 1600 FEET PER MINUTE.
KAREN: NOW JUST TWO STORIES TO CLIMB FOR A CRYSTAL CLEAR PANORAMA OF BOSTON.
DYLAN TREATED TO A ROOF TOP VIEW 790 FEET ABOVE THE CITY.
♪ KAREN: AND ALTHOUGH HE REGARDS THE SIGHTS NOTHING SHORT OF SPECTACULAR, IT’S THE ELEVATORS , DON’T YOU KNOW, THAT DYLAN FINDS MOST IMPRESSIVE.
>> THIS IS PROBABLY THE COOLEST ELEVATOR I HAVE BEEN IN.