Mr. Laszlo Tamas Suhajda

On November 22, 1956, my family escaped from Hungary into Austria, where a church sheltered us while we entered the resettlement system. My father, Lajos, could choose Australia, Canada, or the United States as our final destination. He chose the United States. We crossed the Atlantic aboard the General Haan, a mothballed ship recommissioned for this humanitarian mission. After a two-week voyage, we arrived in New York Harbor, where every passenger gathered on deck to see the Statue of Liberty, symbol of the Land of the Free.

Our family then boarded a bus to Camp Kilmer, an Army base where my father was interviewed to identify a profession that could lead to sponsorship. I celebrated my fifth birthday there on February 2, 1957.

The Rotary Club of Ishpeming, Michigan, sponsored our family, and we traveled there by train. A large welcoming committee greeted us on arrival, and my parents deeply appreciated the kindness and attention.

My brothers, Bela and Jozsef, were seven and nine years old. They enrolled in elementary school, while my 14-year-old cousin Eta, who had made the journey with us, also entered school.

My father found a job at Austin Western in Aurora, Illinois, and we moved there. I attended Brady Elementary School and, as a young boy learning a new language, struggled through several stages of fitting in. Some boys teased me, while others became friends. Athletics became my way to belong. I watched my brothers, learned from them, and excelled in football and basketball. One day, my father took my brothers and me to an Aurora Kickers soccer match. Afterward, we asked to join the club.

Practicing with my brothers taught me to stay aware of my surroundings and anticipate each play. Because there were no younger divisions, I competed against boys two years older and learned to pass quickly to avoid being knocked down. Over time, my field vision sharpened, and I became an excellent player.

When I became eligible for the 14-year-old Juvenile division, I dominated play and scored consistently. Throughout high school, I competed in soccer, football, and wrestling. During my senior year, the Chicago Soccer Federation selected me for the Junior Olympics in St. Louis, Missouri, where Pat McBride coached me. It remains a special time filled with fond memories.

In 1971, I had the privilege of playing soccer at Aurora College with my brother Bela, also known as Bill. It was a recruiting year under Coach Bornkamp, and Bill told him that I might strengthen the team if my talent was anything like his. Together, we helped lead the team to a division championship. Through a team effort, I set a school record that still stands: 22 goals and eight assists in 14 games. One day, my former East Aurora High School varsity assistant coach, Coach Govoni, saw me walking to the commons and told me he was the new Aurora University varsity wrestling coach. He asked me to join the team. I respected him and could not say no. Competing in the 142-pound division, I won the conference championship, the district championship, and four tournament championships, and advanced to the national tournament. I was the only Aurora College wrestler ever to achieve that record.

As I entered my sophomore year, I was drafted into the U.S. Army. My mother handed me the letter with tears in her eyes, knowing it was the Vietnam era and that 1972 had been a tragic year for many soldiers. Remembering how our family had been welcomed into a free country, I enlisted in the U.S. Navy in the fall of 1972. I completed basic training in Orlando, Florida, followed by A School in Millington, Tennessee, and then received orders to transfer to Naval Air Station Meridian in Mississippi.

I worked in supply support and continued playing soccer for the base team. My commanding officer sent me to Catonsville, Maryland, for the 1976 U.S. Olympic trials. I advanced through three rounds before being cut.

One day, my friend Walter Covert and I were passing and juggling a soccer ball at Meridian Junior College when a news crew approached us for an interview. I explained the Chicago Soccer Federation’s promotion system, which had four levels: Major, First, Second, and Third Divisions. Champions moved up, while last-place teams were relegated. When the discussion turned to economics, I described soccer’s cost-effectiveness. After the interview aired, the Parks and Recreation director called to say that Meridian would launch its first soccer program.

When I felt homesick, I took leave from the Navy and returned home. Sitting at my parents’ kitchen table with Mom and Dad, I used a cassette recorder to capture their story from 1942 to 1956. Those recordings eventually led me to write this book, Twelve Bells to Freedom.

I met my wife, Elizabeth Ziegler, in the barracks courtyard at NAS Meridian. We spent time together during her four-month stay. When she transferred to Washington, D.C., our long-distance relationship began.

After my honorable discharge in March 1976, I flew to Arlington, Virginia, to stay with my fiancée, Beth. Two months later, I returned to Aurora College to complete my degree. When Beth was honorably discharged in 1977, I transferred to SIU-E. We married in September 1978.

After graduating, I joined McDonnell Douglas and worked there for 11 years, until 1980. During that period, my daughter Laura was born, followed by my son Matthew in 1983. I was an involved father who coached soccer and participated in sports and family activities. I later served as purchasing manager at Chemisphere Corporation for 11 years, until September 11. I then started my own business, Laszlo Corporation, distributing wine and chemicals. My wine business created a frozen drink called the Wine Slushee. In 2018, I joined a green-technology project focused on Komodo K500C, a wildfire treatment that protects against, retards, and suppresses fire. In 2023, Komodo 911 spray suppressant was introduced as a product safe for people, animals, and vegetation. USDA Forestry-approved Komodo K500C is available through Laszlo Corporation.

In 2018, I began writing my family’s story, Twelve Bells to Freedom, at night and on weekends while running my business. My father died in 2010, and my mother in 2019. I completed the book in November 2023, and it is now available on Amazon—a gift of life from my parents to you.

I hope you enjoy the book—a journey through every emotion that reveals the meaning of freedom.