Syria

President Bush's Favorite Pizza Included Eight Ingredients

Houston pizzeria owners mourn president's passing

The owners of a Houston pizzeria who developed a friendship with former President George H.W. Bush say they will proudly attend his funeral Thursday and will still serve his favorite pies -- which include eight toppings.

Fuzzy Hajjar immigrated from Syria at the age of 22 with just $50 in his pocket.

He saved money for about 10 years and opened a pizza restaurant in Houston.

One day, a new customer showed up he'll never forget.

"It was exciting," he said. "(The) Secret Service came two hours ahead, checking the place, everything. And here comes Mr. Bush. It brightens my day."

George H.W. Bush must have liked the pizza, because he kept coming back.

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Scott Gordon, NBC 5 News
A place setting for President George H.W. Bush at Fuzzy's Pizza, Houston.

"And when he would walk in the door, people would stand up and clap, you know," Fuzzy Hajjar said. "They were so thrilled. They wanted him to autograph or take pictures and he never refused them. He always took time for that."

And soon, President Bush, his wife Barbara, and Fuzzy and Fuzzy's wife Rita, became friends.

"This is where he would sit when he would come to Fuzzys,” Rita Hajjar said, pointing to a table in a private back room.

"You don't feel he's a president,” Fuzzy Hajjar said. “We feel like he's our friend, my father, I don't know. He's Superman."

After Barbara Bush died in April and George Bush's health started to fail, he stopped coming around for his favorite pizza.

But it's still on the menu.

The ingredients include artichoke hearts, pepperoni, Canadian bacon, Italian sausage, green peppers, mushrooms, onions and black olives.

The former first lady had a favorite pizza, too. It's also on the menu. The ingredients include chicken, spinach, mushrooms, artichokes and garlic.

“We keep looking at it like we'll never see him again. We'll never see her again," Rita Hajjar said. "It's the end. But hopefully we all learned something from it and the country is in a better position and we all love each other."

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