In 1991, DeeDee and her husband, Yianni, opened Pizza Bella in Bedford, New Hampshire. It quickly gained a reputation for having good food and good conversation, and it thrived until Yianni unexpectedly passed away at the age of 54 in 2012. DeeDee was devastated. She lost her husband, her best friend, and her soulmate, and she had trouble setting foot in the restaurant even though the entire staff depended on her to keep the restaurant open. Since Yianni had done everything, DeeDee didn’t know where to start. But she soon realized that the only thing she could do was dive in and learn how to run the business herself. She took over everything from payroll to the mortgage, and when she decided to take out a loan, she went to a local branch of Eastern Bank. Friends had told the bank about DeeDee’s journey, and management there decided to do something special for her as part of its “Good Things Happen” campaign. The bank shocked and delighted DeeDee when it sent her and a friend on a luxurious spa weekend in Florida. But as great as that sounds, it was only a cover for the real surprise. I won’t spoil it for you here, but I will say: make sure you have some tissues on hand. If you’re like me, you’ll need a couple by the end of this heartwarming video.
Please share this video if you were also moved by the kindness of DeeDee’s bank, as well as her family, friends and staff!
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