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Youth INC – Everyday Heroes Among Us – Stories That Inspire – Zsuzsa Granny
Behind every community stand people whose quiet strength, resilience, and dedication make a real difference. In the YouthINC project, our young ambassadors set out to discover such heroes – ordinary individuals with extraordinary impact. From healers of nature to voices of truth and tireless helpers, their stories remind us that heroism is not about fame or glory, but about the courage to care and to act.
Granny Zsuzsa’s Garden, Where the Plants Tell Stories
Location:https://maps.app.goo.gl/7oHKEKn8iA3pdaDe9
Everyday heroes are ordinary people who act selflessly in their daily lives, not for recognition, but driven by inner moral values. When we speak of such people, everyone recalls someone who once helped them or supported their community.
In Cristuru Secuiesc and the nearby villages, many think of Vári Zsuzsa when asked about an everyday hero. She was born in Rugănești and has lived there ever since. Her story unfolds in this very place, where she built her family and created her magical garden. Zsuzsa is known in our community by many names: healer, herb lady, mushroom knight, grandmother, and mother — proof of how many people she has touched across different walks of life.
Her deep connection with nature was formed in childhood. Her family spent most of their time outdoors — from work to play, everything was tied to the natural world. At school, she excelled in natural sciences, already showing her deep inner love for nature. She says much of her knowledge comes from this time, learning home remedies and natural healing methods from the elders.
She studied at a technical school for accounting and worked 33 years as an accountant. Although she never planned to change careers, when the opportunity came to retire early at 50, she felt it was time to follow her childhood dream: to fully dedicate herself to nature.
Together with her husband, they decided to start a truffle plantation — a unique initiative in Romania at that time. Despite many obstacles, they persevered. Zsuzsa even trained a dog to search for truffles, which was quite innovative back then. Later, university researchers became interested in her methods and her dog. Behind her success without formal training stood her faith, tireless work, and persistence.
In their garden, they planted a truffle forest using collected spores. After years of dedication, they’ve been harvesting truffles for nine years now. Her expertise in mushrooms was acknowledged by researchers at ELTE University, and she began collaborating with them. By donating mushroom samples, she contributed to scientific progress. In recognition of her work, she was knighted in Budapest in 2009 by the Saint Ladislaus Truffle Order.
In 2023, a record-breaking half-kilogram truffle grew in their garden. Sadly, her husband passed away that same year and never saw “the fruit of their labor.” For Zsuzsa, that truffle became her husband’s legacy. Since then, truffle cultivation has spread in Romania — a journey that began in her little forest.
For 25 years, Zsuzsa has been collecting and processing medicinal plants. Her greatest help today is her daughter, with whom she roams the fields and meadows. They never gather large quantities at once, believing that plants would lose their true value. Freshly processed herbs dry full of life, preserving their beneficial properties. From them, they create teas and remedies, believing that nature is “God’s pharmacy,” always open for those in need.
Though she never advertises her products, people visit her daily to buy and ask for advice. Each year, groups of tourists come to learn about herbs and mushrooms from her.
Zsuzsa has never sought fame, yet she is well-known and respected. People admire her dedication, humility, and hard work with nature. Despite her success, she remains modest, and her main goal remains: to preserve and pass on ancient knowledge and values, contributing to her community’s health.
For some members of our team, Zsuzsa is a supportive and inspiring grandmother, and we all feel a close bond with her — as if she were everyone’s grandma. We look up to her story and perseverance with admiration, trying to carry a piece of her wisdom with us. For us, she is a true role model.
