When she was younger, Deedee and her husband Yianni worked to fulfill their dream of owning a pizza restaurant.
In 1991, the couple opened the doors of Pizza Bella in Bedford, New Hampshire.
Running the restaurant was hard work, but it was successful thanks to its warm atmosphere that welcomed family, friends, and the rest of the community, and the delicious pizzas made from Yianni’s recipes.
But after years of success, the restaurant greeted struggle in 2012 when Deedee’s husband died unexpectedly. Yianna was only 54 years old.
Overwhelmed with grief, things began to take a turn for the worst.
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Not only was Deedee confronting the loss of her life partner, she was also dealing with the loss of her business partner.
Responsibilities that Yianni used to handle now fell into Deedee’s lap.
She suddenly needed to learn how to run Pizza Bella on her own. She had to pay the mortgage and support her employees when she could barely step into the shop without crying.
She also needed to fill the shoes of Yianni, the face of the restaurant who everyone knew and adored.
As the saying goes, when it rains it pours.
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But the reverse is also true. While it can feel like everything is going wrong all at once, sometimes things can go right all at once too.
Deedee’s cheerleaders surprised her with a visit to a spa. She definitely needed and earned herself some serious relaxation time.
But that wasn’t all. While she was away, they conspired to renovate Pizza Bella. They revamped the entire place with fresh paint, a new design, and a more modern look.
Without the help of family and friends, Deedee would not have been able to do the renovation on her own.
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When Deedee returns from her spa trip, she cannot believe her eyes. On the outside, the restaurant looks the same, but on the inside, it’s a complete transformation.
Finally, Deedee is crying for the right reasons. Instead of intense grief, she is overwhelmed with happiness and gratitude.
What an amazing gift for Deedee who went through so much.
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