May 15 was Armed Forces Day, when people around the world take the time to honor those who served all throughout history and thank them for the freedoms they granted us.
Disney Parks in particular held a very special ceremony for one of its employees, a man by the name of Alex Stromski, who also works as a cast member. They did their best to honor him, and honored he felt.
Just before Armed Forces Day on May 15, Walt Disney World recognized one of their own employees.
Alex Stromski is a 92-year-old Disney Parks cast member who’s worked as Geppetto at Pinocchio’s Village Haus in Magic Kingdom Park since 2013.
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He’s also a veteran who spent 21 years in the Navy.
In a TikTok posted to the official Disney Parks account, Stromski gives a small tour of where he works.
He introduces himself and where he works, as well as his history. “I was a naval aviator and I had a call sign, but now that I’m here at Magic Kingdom I have a call sign, ‘Geppetto.'”
He then goes on to explain what Walt Disney World did for him in honor of Armed Forces Day.
They held a flag-raising ceremony in his honor, with his friends and family all attending. Along with Magic Kingdom flag detail, he raised the American flag over Town Square on Main Street U.S.A.
“I was humbled by them and I was also greatly honored by it,” he said in the TikTok. “I’m just glad to be here.”
A press release on the Disney Parks blog goes into further detail about Stromski’s past.
They tell his story of how he enlisted in the military at 17 near the end of World War II in the footsteps of a friend who served before him. He retired as a Lieutenant Commander in 1967.
Walt Disney World first opened in 1971, and he immediately became an annual pass holder, which he’d use to make frequent visits with his family. “I loved how Walt had great respect for the military,” he said. “I realized that this was something I wanted to be a part of, so I applied and got a full-time job at Pinocchio’s Village Haus in 2013.”
And he’s been there ever since, serving as an outstanding cast member.
Stromski still enjoys his job immensely and loves bringing the magic to Disney Parks. “I love helping create the experiences that families will remember for years. I especially enjoy meeting the military families and veterans who visit us.”
Disney says in the press release that they are, “[…] grateful that this outgoing, big-hearted hero is on our team.”
