Last October, Martin Griglak reunited with his brother, Bill after a 33-year separation. It was a tearful, emotional and long overdue reunion, but it wouldn't be Griglak's last.
On July 28, Griglak traveled to D'Imperio's Restaurant in Monroeville to meet Douglas Hsia, a long lost friend from Taiwan who Griglak hadn't seen for 14 years.
"I was standing at the door looking out in the parking lot. He came running at me and we hugged and cried. It was very sentimental and very emotional," said Griglak.
The meeting, which lasted two and a half hours, was just as emotional for Hsia, who had been searching for Griglak for eight years after the two lost touch.
"That was the (most) wonderful moment I have ever had in my life. Can you imagine that (a) 76-year-old (American) and a 44-year-old Chinese guy (could) keep this friendship (for) such a long time," stated Hsia about their reunion.
Griglak and Hsia met in 1988 at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where Hsia was in the process of pursuing his master's degree in industrial and labor relations.
Griglak came to IUP as a guest lecturer as a favor to Marty Morand, a labor studies professor at IUP. Morand told Griglak that a young student from Taiwan (Republic of China) was looking for someone that fit Griglak's description. That student turned out to be Hsia.
Although they were formally introduced by Morand after the lecture, Hsia didn't need and introduction to know who Griglak was.
His parents, who were high government officials in Taiwan, it seems became friends with Griglak when his work with the State Department brought him to Taiwan under the guise of a visiting professor. In reality, Griglak and his colleagues were working with the Taiwan government to bring democracy and free elections to what had been an oppressive military dictatorship for many years.
"When he said his last name, I realized who he was," said Griglak.
Because of the hospitality he received in Taiwan, Griglak promised Hsia's parents and other officials if they ever came to America, he would do what he could to help them out. This was his chance to make good on that promise.
"He (Hsia) was very apprehensive being in a strange country for the first time. He spoke very little English. I told him to consider me an uncle," said Griglak.
As Hsia continued his studies, Griglak helped Hsia in every way he could. He made copies for him, gave him directions when he needed to drive somewhere and even opened his home in Connellsville to Hsia, who visited the Griglak family often during his time at IUP.
After Hsia graduated, he worked in trading and marketing and traveled around the world to many countries like Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Holland, Japan, Korea and China. The two were able to keep in contact for a number of years through Christmas and Chinese New Year's cards, but eventually lost touch when Griglak retired and moved out of his Connellsville home.
Eight years ago, Hsia started looking for Griglak, but had been unsuccessful until he found Griglak's name mentioned on a Web site associated with the Fayette County Health Center Authority.
After contacting Griglak through the authority, the two decided to meet when Hsia stopped in Pittsburgh for a business trip while en route to Houston, Texas, to begin work in his company's Houston office.
Although he currently resides in Houston with his wife and twin daughters, Hsia has always considered western Pennsylvania his home away from home and Griglak said he would love to return for good someday.
"He would like to get back to this area. It was like a second home to him," said Griglak.
Hsia remembered how it felt when his plane landed in Pittsburgh last July.
"How strong a feeling I had once I stepped down off the U.S. Airways flight in Pittsburgh," said Hsia. "I felt like I (had) come home after 14 years. I always considered the Greater Pittsburgh area as my second hometown. I do appreciate all of the assistance and support the local residents gave me when I needed it."
Fortunately, Hsia will have the opportunity to return to the area fairly often on business, which is a fact that Hsia is very pleased about now that he has reunited with his friend.
Although they lost touch once, both friends say it won't happen again. "We are committed to keeping in touch," said Griglak.
For Griglak, the reunion was more than just a couple of old friends getting together. Since Hsia returned to Taiwan after school and worked there for a number of years, he was able to update Griglak on the status of things in the country.
"We talked about all of the old times and he brought me up to date about things in Taiwan and how our early efforts had paid off. I was amazed at how Taipei had changed, progressed and modernized since I had been there," said Griglak.
