July 25 is a special day here at Little Giant Beekeepers—it’s National Hire a Veteran Day!
Today, we are proud to recognize Sandor Marozsan for his service to our country, his dedication to our company, and his commitment to our customers and bees.
Sandor served in the U.S. Army from May 1986 to June 2013. During his military career, he held a variety of roles, including bomb technician, military intelligence linguist, tank crewman, and mechanic. When asked about his favorite part of serving, his answer is simple:
“Jumping out of airplanes.”
Sandor decided to join the military at just 17 years old.
“I felt like I owed my country a debt when they let me become a citizen here,” he said.
Born in Romania, Sandor escaped with his family when he was four years old. They spent two and a half years in Israel, followed by nearly a year in a refugee camp in Greece while waiting for approval to come to the United States.
His journey eventually brought him to Richardson, Texas. He still remembers arriving in America on July 7, 1977.
“I came on a 747 airplane on 7/7/77 at 7:37 p.m., with a layover at Gate 7 in LaGuardia before heading to DFW,” Sandor said. “Seven became my lucky number after that.”
So how does a soldier become a beekeeper?
As a kid, Sandor spent time with the Wright family, founders of Little Giant Beekeepers. One day, Mrs. Wright was watching a television special about beekeeping and asked her husband if she could get a hive.
“He told her, ‘Of course, anything you want, dear.’ I was there when she asked him,” Sandor recalled. “The next thing I knew, I was helping with the bees.”
A few years later, Sandor joined Mr. Wright on a honey harvest. Mr. Wright suited up in full protective gear, while Sandor wore only a T-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops.
“Mr. Wright told me to stay back by the blue van,” Sandor said.
As Mr. Wright lifted a honeycomb, it fell apart, releasing a funnel of bees into the air. He immediately shouted for Sandor to run.
Sandor was stung 13 times.
“I have been in love with it ever since,” he said.
Today, Sandor maintains his own hives and is an active member of the East Texas Beekeepers Association. He takes pride in delivering excellent service to every customer and works hard to get the job done right the first time.
We are incredibly grateful for Sandor’s years of service, both in the military and in the beekeeping community.
As a thank-you to those who have served, Little Giant Beekeepers proudly offers veterans $30 off their next bee removal service. It’s one small way we can give back to the men and women who have given so much to our country.
