There are multiple chapters to the life we have lived: growing up poor during wartime, surviving a communist regime, risking our lives to escape, establishing new roots in a foreign land, and now relaxing in older age to reflect on the journey we have taken. We were fortunate to find true, lifelong love with each other, which led to our having our beautiful daughters and grandson.

Adapting to a very different culture and language was hard, for sure, but we succeeded together in great style. We achieved the American Dream: foreigners emigrating to a new country, working hard to build a successful life, and raising a wonderful family.

We are free now to enjoy the fruits of our labor, and we have the time to reflect on where we came from and what we’ve been through. We felt it was important to share the story our lives with you and the generations that follow. We hope these pages will teach you something about our history in Europe, about our journey to each other, and the life we created in the United States.

Most of all, we hope you enjoy the story of our family’s legacy.