April 22, 2010 Palisadian-Post Special Section 3

By SUE PASCOEStaff Writer––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Exquisite swimming pools,imaginative spas and artisticfireplaces are Horusicky

Construction’s specialty. Startedby Michael Horusicky and nowrun by son Michael, Jr. anddaughter Andrea HorusickyHeindel, the family business hasbeen in Pacific Palisades since1970 and the company is well-known for quality work.Less familiar is the history of

the family of how Michael andhis wife Jana brought their twoboys Danny and Michael Jr. tothe United States after escapingfrom Czechoslovakia followingtheAugust 1968 Soviet invasion.(Andrea, their third child, wasborn in the United States.)Horusicky learned masonry

skills at “Old European” tradeschools, but that might not havebeen his first choice for a voca-tion. He and his sister Alexandra,a gifted artist, were not allowedto attend any of the top schools.It wasn’t the Communist systemthat precluded them from

schools, but rather their name.Their father, Jaroslav Horusicky,was jailed in 1950 because of hisinvolvement with the anti-Redunderground forces that wereallied with the C.I.A.Michael Horusicky’s father’s

escape from the notorious Pilsenprison was recorded in the May1955 San Jose Evening Newsand reads like a movie thriller.Jaroslav, then 39, a former

Olympic swimmer and doctor,masqueraded as a broken, much

older man, shuffling around inprison. He convinced guards tolet him join 18 other men tomake baskets.In two months’ time, he

became the top producer, mak-ing eight baskets a day. Shortlyafterwards, he complained that ifhe could have a bigger needle(about the size of a pencil), hemight be able to make nine or 10baskets a day. Although hisrecord labeled him a cunningundercover agent, guards started

to forget about the “basketmak-er’s” political background.Selecting two other co-work-

ers, Jaroslav convinced prisonofficials that they could bestwork on a new basket design in

his cell after hours. The guardsdidn’t realize that earlier in hiscareer as a spy he had committedthe prison blueprint setup tomemory and knew there was anattic above his cell.The men took precautions, like

scattering sand outside the prisondoor so they could hear theapproach of the guards, allowingthem to bore through the ceilingunnoticed. Meanwhie, Jaroslavwas able to buy carbolic acid anda tube of toothpaste (which heemptied out and refilled with but-ter and string to make a candle),by bartering with cigarettes hehad earned from making baskets.On the night of the escape, the

three men went though the atticto open windows and the roof.From the fourth story, using along rope made from sheets, theylowered Jaroslav down close tothe ground and then beganswinging him like a pendulum.Eventually he was swung overthe wall. He held the rope tightas the other two men climbeddown it and over the wall. Theyhad sprinkled carbolic acid in thecell in an effort to stymie track-ing dogs.

Horusicky Construction builds new pools and remodels old ones.

In addition to sidewalks, driveways, retaining walls and spas, Horusicky Construction alsodesigns and builds indoor and outdoor fireplaces

Michael and Jana Horusicky with sons Michael Jr. and Dannyafter starting the family’s construction business, shortly afterarriving in Los Angeles from Czechoslovakia.

Czech Refugee Establishes Company

On the CoverThe red, white and blue arehandsomely presented at thefront entry of this house onAlmar.

Rich Schmitt/Staff photographer

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According to the San Josenewspaper story, Jaroslav ranthree hours until his feet werebloody and blistered. He hid inthe forest for 20 days, beggingfood from farmers and stealingclothes to wear. Then he was tak-en to the Czechoslovakian borderby the underground with his wifeHelena in the car. She wouldn’tsee her husband for the next 30years. Eventually Jaroslavworked his way to Vienna andreported to the American Forces.Jaroslav’s escape (no one had

escaped from the Pilsen prison inmore than 13 years) promptedofficials to jail Helena and theirlive-in housekeeper for a yearand young Horusicky and his

sister went to live with theirgrandmother.After his wife and housekeep-

er were released from jail,Jaroslav worked to get them outof the country, but found itimpossible. He stayed in contactby sending them letters underassumed names, knowing thatany connection to him wouldcause further problems.Jaroslav moved to New York,

where he got a job as a lifeguardand from there to San Jose, thento LosAngeles, where he openeda medical equipment business.In August 1968, Soviet tanksrolled through the streets ofPrague in an effort to squelch arevolution. Eventually thousandsof troops moved into the country,and the Michael Horusicky fam-ily escaped to Austria in 1969.Jaroslav, because of his pastinvolvement with the U.S. gov-

ernment, was able to get hisson’s family green cards andthey joined him in Los Angeles.The family, which didn’t

know English and had no pos-sessions, moved into a mobile

home in Paradise Cove.Seeking work, Michael Horu-

sicky advertised in the SantaMonica Outlook for masonrywork. His first job was a “scratchcoat” on a fireplace that netted

him $86.Andrea said that becauseof his limited English, he wasn’tsure what the customer wanted,but learned and did the job.His wife Jana, who had been a

4 Palisadian-Post Special Section April 22, 2010

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Horusicky:(Continued from previous page)

.(Left to right) Helena Horusicky, Michael, Jaroslav and Alexandra, shortly before Jaroslav wasjailed in Pilsen prison.

“If my dad did a job five years agoor 25 years ago, it doesn’t matter.He stands by his work, and if there’sa problem he’ll come back and fix it.”

—ANDREA HORUSICKY HEINDEL

April 22, 2010 Palisadian-Post Special Section 5

lab technologist, stayed homewith the kids, but eventuallyredid her credentials and thenworked at the VA Hospital inWestwood for 23 years.

Horusicky’s reputation as ahard worker, as well as

someone who stood by his jobs,has kept the company flourish-ing 40 years. “If my dad did ajob five years ago or 25 yearsago, it doesn’t matter,” Andreasaid. “He stands by his work,and if there’s a problem he’ll

come back and fix it.”The same qualities that estab-

lished the business are still thecornerstone of Horusicky Con-struction. The company will do aproject no matter how small,including mailboxes, walkways,sidewalk repairs and also remod-els outdated pools, builds newones and constructs fireplaces,BBQs and outdoor kitchens. Inaddition to “pretty” projects, itworks on retaining walls, foun-dations and drainage issues.Ten years ago, Mike Jr. and

Andrea took over the familybusiness and continue to provide

detailed estimates. “What we sayit’s going to cost, is what it willcost,” Andrea said. “There won’tbe unexpected bills at the end.We also discuss the pros andcons of a customer’s plans,”Andrea said. “Telling customersthis might not be the right stonefor what you want to use it for, oryour budget won’t allow thismaterial.”Mike and Andrea (and brother

Danny, who lives in Colorado)

graduated from Palisades HighSchool. Mike graduated fromCal State Long Beach with adegree in construction manage-ment and Andrea received herdegree in international businessfrom the same college.“I then studied in Prague to

finish some of my classes for mydegree and lived with my grand-mother,” Andrea said, addingthat in 2002 her grandmotherwas sick and she took care of

her. Her grandfather, Jaroslavdied in 1988. “He passed awaythe year before Czechoslovakiabecame free as a nation andCommunism collapsed. Ofcourse he would’ve wanted tosee that,” she said, noting thatshe’s proud of her family’s histo-ry and the business.Visit: www.horusicky.com.

Call:(310) 454-4385.

features@palipost.com

Forty years later, Michael Sr. Andrea and Michael Jr. runHorusicky Construction.

Horusicky Construction offers clients design plans that incorporate “hardscaping” with land-scaping in order to give a backyard a natural flow.

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