Born in Paterson, New Jersey, Alen Hadzic is the proud son of Dr. Admir Hadzic and Dr. Gorica Hadzic. His early years were spent in the culturally rich and affluent community of Montclair, NJ, where he was a student at Montclair High. Later, New York City became his home during his academic journey at Columbia University, before relocating to West Orange, New Jersey. With deep Yugoslavian roots, Alen boasts fluency in English, Italian, Spanish, and the South Slav group of languages: Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian
Family Background:
Dr. Admir Hadzic [Admir Hadzic]: Alen’s father grew up in the former Yugoslavia, relocating to the United States in 1989 to advance both in business and academics. A board-certified internist and anesthesiologist, he served as a Professor of Anesthesiology at Columbia University, New York. His accolades include honorary professorships at several esteemed European universities. Prof. Admir Hadzic has further solidified his reputation in the medical community through his gold-standard medical textbooks, making him a globally recognized figure in medical education.
Prof. Gorica Lalic-Hadzic: Alen’s mother, originally from Montenegro, is a distinguished scholar with a PhD in Literature from CUNY (City University of New York). She currently dedicates her time to research and teaching in New Jersey.
The Hadzic family journey, while filled with love and support, was also marked by a profound loss. The untimely passing of Dennis Hadzic, Alen’s younger brother, cast a heavy shadow over the family. At the time of Dennis’ passing, Alen was only 12 years old. Dealing with the immense grief from this loss was challenging for everyone. Such profound sorrow has a way of either pulling families together or, in some cases, driving them apart. For Alen’s parents, the immense grief over their child’s loss became a dividing force. Their individual coping mechanisms and struggles to navigate this immense pain eventually led to their separation and subsequent divorce when Alen was 12 years old.
As life has its unique way of moving forward, new chapters begin to unfold. A few years after the separation, Alen’s father found love and companionship again, this time with a Belgian woman named Dr. Catherine Vandepitte. This union not only brought happiness back into his father’s life but also happily expanded Alen’s immediate family circle. Through his father’s second marriage, Alen gained three step-siblings: Carolina, aged 5; Raphael, aged 7; and Adriana, aged 9. This newly blended family found their nest in the picturesque city of Leuven, Belgium, where they currently reside.
