By Wayne - Not Everything Sucks Desk
Apr 19, 2021
Jessie Hamilton worked as a cook at the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house at Louisiana State University in the 1980s. The frat nickname: Fiji.
A single mom with kids of her own, she treated the young frat men like her own sons.
Hamilton listened to their worries, gave advice, and even drove them around to to doctor’s appointments or the grocery store.
Over the years, Hamilton stayed in touch with several of the fraternity brothers, among them Andrew Fusaiotti, who now owns a car dealership in Mobile, Alabama.
When the pandemic started, he called Hamilton to see how she was doing, and learned that she was working multiple jobs to support her family, and to pay a mortgage she had taken out. Retirement was not an option, and probably wouldn’t be for a very long time.
Fraternity brothers surprise beloved cook by paying off her mortgage
Officially, Jessie Hamilton was a cook at the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house at Louisiana State University, but she was also a therapist, cheerleader, and friend. Starting in 1982, Hamilton worked at the Phi Gamma Delta (also known as Fiji) house for 14 years, and was always ready to lend an ear and offer advice. She was truly like a mother to us, Fiji brother Andrew Fusaiotti told
The Washington
Post. Hamilton has worked two jobs for decades, and several brothers who kept in touch with her decided for her 74th birthday this month, they were going to give Hamilton the gift of retirement. More than 90 brothers donated a total of $51,764 â enough for Hamilton to pay off her mortgage, and then some. On April 3, they surprised Hamilton with their gift. If I hadn t been sitting, I would have fell down, she told the
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Members of Phi Gamma Delta celebrate Jessie Hamilton s birthday wherre thgwey presdent her with a check paying off her mortgage. Image: Youtube/The Advocate.
Members of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity came together to throw a full catered surprise party for their former house cook, 78-year-old Jessie Hamilton, where they also presented her with a check paying off her mortgage.
Last spring, during the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Hamilton ran into Andrew Fusaiotti, who she first met at the Phi Gamma Delta (AKA Fiji) house on Louisiana State University‘s campus when he was a sophomore in 1998.
According to the
By Sam Rosalie
Apr 15, 2021
Tanya Pavlus sent me this beautiful story, about a group of Louisiana State University, Phi Gamma Delta fraternity brothers!
When these guys were in school, they were all very close with Jessie Hamilton. She was the fraternity cook, and formed quite a bond with the boys. Just one of those incredibly positive, caring energies.
One member, Andrew Fusaiotti, called to see how she was doing during the pandemic. She’s 74-years-old, and he found out she was still working 2 jobs to pay off her mortgage….that didn’t sit right with Andrew. And he turned to multiple generations of his frat.
By Sam Rosalie
Apr 15, 2021
Tanya Pavlus sent me this beautiful story, about a group of Louisiana State University, Phi Gamma Delta fraternity brothers!
When these guys were in school, they were all very close with Jessie Hamilton. She was the fraternity cook, and formed quite a bond with the boys. Just one of those incredibly positive, caring energies.
One member, Andrew Fusaiotti, called to see how she was doing during the pandemic. She’s 74-years-old, and he found out she was still working 2 jobs to pay off her mortgage….that didn’t sit right with Andrew. And he turned to multiple generations of his frat.