Adam Szivek

In 1934, my hero was born. He was born in Grabovac, Yugoslavia. He led a simple life, his parents were well to do, owning a grocery-dry goods store. Then WWII happened. Times were hard. Then, after the war, the communists came in. Communist Slave Camps. They took everything. This 12 year old, watched half his family get assassinated, cause they were too old and couldn't work. The other half, that could work, were told either work, or we kill you. This 12 year old at the time, didn't want to see his family starve, so, he would sneak out at night. He snuck out, to the surrounding towns, where people that had run credit with his parents grocery store. Instead of getting money, he got food toward the credit. Sneaking that food back in to his family. Well, they somehow, survived that for over 3 years. Then, the whole family collected money to send his Great Uncle to the US. He went to the US and started working. He then tried to bring his son to the US but it was denied cause the US found out that his son was actually a nuclear physicist for Hitler. So, he decided to bring his younger brother, (my grandfather) and his family to the US. (dad and my grandmother.) they came with suitcases and a 1000 dollar debt back in 1956. Shortly after that, he was drafted into the US Army. Not knowing a lick of English, he was discharged after basic. They all found jobs, and they decided to start buying gutted apartment buildings. they got a mortgage, and bought a building. During the day, they worked their full time jobs, after their jobs, they went and worked on the building. they worked 18 hours a day, every day, for several years. They managed to pay off their first building in 10 years and then bought another building and actually had the cash to buy it.In 1964, he decided to travel back to the old country with his best friend and meet his best friends future wife. Her best friend was this woman named Jelica.they sparked a relationship, and, 3 years later, he got her immigration papers to move to the US and they wed in the old country. That was 1967.They gave birth to two sons, the 1st, and the 2nd son, also being born in January.His eldest, was the spawn of Satan. His youngest, he was very sickly and he and his wife were constantly in and out of hospitals, caring for this child. He did all of this while working 18 hours a day.He was a slave, a warrior, an entrepreneur, a person that survived all. He was president of the PTTA (Parent Teacher & Therapist Association), there was not a single charity he did not donate to, he was a hero to many, MDA, Disabled Veterans, Churches, and various other organizations.He is my hero, and I got to call him Dad. Our last words to each other, I said Dad, I love you! he said, I love you too he didn t hear my mom, but he heard me. His Spawn of Satan.Rest my father rest, you've done enough, now rest. Adam Szivek, Jan. 6th 1934-Jan, 31st, 2013