In one way Pete and Betty Benvenutti’s house in Bay St. Louis will be even better than it was before Hurricane Katrina. With trees and homes flattened for hundreds of yards around them, they will have a water view in two directions when they move into the rebuilt three-room cottage taking shape on their property.
When we first met the Benvenuttis in November, they were watching workers in heavy machinery tear down the historic part of their century-old house a few hundred yards from the Gulf of Mexico, leaving only the skeleton of a 1960s-era back wing that barely seemed worth saving.
But four months of steady work by family and friends have yielded the shell of a cozy one-bedroom house that should be ready in a month or so, allowing the Benvenuttis to vacate the travel trailer where they have lived since shortly after the storm hit.
"It’s a small house, but it will be serviceable," said Pete.
Pete, 81 as of March 31, and Betty, 76, are more fortunate than some of their neighbors. They got a decent settlement from their insurance company that allowed them to put a new metal roof onto the remains of their house and pay for some of the rebuilding. Their garage also survived, allowing the couple to install a washer and dryer along with a full-size hot-water tank.
"That gives us a lot more than a lot of poor people have, so we are blessed," said Betty. Neighbors often come by to use the laundry facilities, restoring the Benvenutti home to its role as a hub in a neighborhood that was badly devastated by the storm.
The Benvenuttis are grateful for all the help that has been provided in the wake of the storm, including the efforts of volunteers who the previous day had raked Katrina mud from the couple's gravel driveway.
"It has had its bad parts, horrible bad parts," she said of the storm. "But it has had its wonderful parts: finding out there are so many wonderful people. People all ages and all stages, and they pick up a rake and a hoe and they go to work."
After they move into the rebuilt cottage, the Benvenuttis have tentative plans to build a larger house further back on their 1-acre property, but those plans are still sketchy.
"We're taking it one step at a time," Betty said, as she showed visitors around. "I was telling a friend recently that I can't wait until things get back to normal, and she said, 'What does normal mean?' And I don’t even know anymore. What does normal mean?'"
One thing Pete and Betty know for certain: Next time a hurricane heads their way, they will be gone. They rode out Katrina in a supposedly safe location in Waveland and ended up crowded into a stairwell with 13 other people as the water rose and the furniture began floating.
"I've never been one to evacuate before, but next time I'm going west and north – to Alaska," Pete said. "As soon as we see the storm forming in the Gulf."
"If it starts to a-comin', we’re goin'," Betty said. "We’ve been through enough Gulf storms, thank you."
A home amid devastation
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Happy Birthday Daddy, you are looking better than ever. Sorry it's been a while.
Regards to you and Mama B
Love,
Edouard H.R. Gluck
Edouard H.R. Gluck (Sent Mar 31, 2006 12:06:24 AM)
Looks like Patrick is doing a fabulous job. Happy Birthday, Pete! and don't forget to change your clocks. Love Bridget
Bridget, NJ (Sent Mar 31, 2006 8:21:15 AM)
The Benvenutti's home has been my second home for 32 years, and I can hardly wait for it to be finished. This house was filled with love, food, and merrymaking and there was always room at the table for one more "kid". Happy Birthday Pete! Hope you enjoy many more; as much as we enjoy you and Betty.
Susan Stevens, Waveland, MS (Sent Mar 31, 2006 1:59:18 PM)
I don't think I'll ever get over the shock of seeing the state of my grandparents' house after the wake of Katrina, but the one thing that amazes me even more is the inner strength and resolve of the couple who built it. Paw Paw and Grammaw, I can't imagine what kinds of thoughts and emotions are running through your heads right now, but I hope you will keep this in mind as you begin to rebuild: A house may fall because it is built of wood and stone, but a HOME is built on a foundation of love, and yours is strong enough to withstand ANY hurricane.
Love from your very proud granddaughter,
Mali
P.S. Happy Birthday, Paw Paw!
Mali Benvenutti, New Orleans, LA (Sent Mar 31, 2006 5:35:27 PM)
Happy, happy birthday Paw Paw! I just wanted to let you both know how inspirational you are to me, and how fortunate I am that you are my grandparents. Can't wait to see the new house when it's done! :-)
Love,
Jamie
Jamie Benvenutti, Washington DC (Sent Apr 1, 2006 1:15:09 PM)
Happy Birthday PawPaw
from another one of ya kids and nephew
Love,
Taaya and Jordan Blaize
T Blaize (Sent Apr 3, 2006 2:41:38 PM)
God Bless you all for being soooo strong in trying times. I have yet been involved in such a devistating situation but to see how you and others come to the aid of each other is tear jerking to say the least. I keep all of you in my prayers nightly.
Nadine CW Parsons
New Bedford, MA
Nadine CW Parsons, New Bedford, MA (Sent Apr 3, 2006 4:04:20 PM)
I thought others might enjoy reading something my mother, Betty Benvenutti, wrote one morning last week. With as much as we have all been through, Mama's faith, insight and optimism continue to help those us us around her see the beauty amid all this rubble.
March 24, 2006
What is Normal?
by Betty Benvenutti
This morning I looked out of the trailer window at the woods and the Katrina fallen trees and what a beautiful sight! A squirrel was sitting on a tree enjoying a pine cone breakfast. He looked agile and healthy. Behind him in the woods was a mass of honeysuckle in full bloom. Among the broken and fallen pines stood a healthy young magnolia tree putting forth its new leaves for spring.
Yesterday a small flock of birds came to eat some of the seeds I had scattered in the yard, and then a flock of sea birds flew over as they have always done in the past. Just now the sun is peeping out from behind a bank of clouds, not full sun, but a reminder that it’s still there.
The back yard beyond the boat and trailer is one mass of clover and green and yellow grasses. The tree house still lists to the right, mainly the platform that holds it up, but the house itself seems level and sturdy. The woods beyond our yard are one mass of broken tall pines and an occasional oak. Each day more greenery comes out; grass, trees, weeds, bushes and even the bamboo.
Maybe this is all part of the normal I’ve been searching for ever since Katrina came to visit. Thank you God for reminding me of how blessed I am and that you are there to make things right. Thank you for all of the good people who have come to help us and all of the people in need; to rebuild houses, clean up debris (that dreadful stuff) and to feed and cloth us. In them, I have become aware of how many really good people there are. They are truly your disciples, by their actions reminding us of your presence.
I will get back now to working on getting the house livable so we can move back in, one more step to achieve “normal”. Thank you God and one more request, please help me to do all I can with your guidance.
Thank you Mama and Happy Birthday Daddy.
love,
Mary Kay
Mary Kay Hubbard, Diamondhead, MS (Sent Apr 3, 2006 6:14:03 PM)
Happy belated birthday wishes. May you have many more and may you remember the good and forget most of the bad. Wishing you the best for you and yours with all of your endeavors.
Judy Gallien, San Diego Ca (Sent Apr 3, 2006 6:41:43 PM)
I pay State Farm for my home owners insurance and now, I'm wondering if I'm just throwing my money away.
Charles Breul
Charles A Breul (Sent Apr 3, 2006 7:44:50 PM)
With all the love coming from your family, extended ones also, it's very evident that you both have an extraordinary gift. Cherish it and normalcy, whatever it happens to be, will be yours as it always has been. God's speed.
Phyllis, Sacramento (Sent Apr 3, 2006 7:54:54 PM)
all the family comments here are great!...you guys are loved by many people..with that much family bonding.....ya'll gonna make it!....oh HAPPY BIRTHDAY
andy,booneville ms. (Sent Apr 3, 2006 11:31:26 PM)
What did the Benvenuttis' do on their new residence to reduce their risk from damage caused by hurricanes? Did they elevate? Did they add hurricane clips to the roof or hurricane shutters for the windows? While they may evacuate ahead of the next storm, their residence will still be there. Who will pay to fix the new home when the next big storm damages it?
Miriam G. Anderson (Sent Apr 4, 2006 10:51:02 AM)
Insurance companies has turned into extortion companies, I am from Miami, my home has endured several big hurricanes and I have never received a penny... everything gets lost among "deductibles and fine print". You know what?... my house is paid for and I am going without... after all, I have footed all the bills... so why paying to those crooks..
Gerry Rdguez (Sent Apr 4, 2006 11:17:11 AM)
I don;t know you both , but I want to say happy birthday, and god bless you both, Audrey Strom Mobile, Al.
Audrey R Strom (Sent Apr 4, 2006 5:28:30 PM)
Howdy Pete. sounds familiar. we rode the roof boat out of the Bay Town B&B as it collasped, we ended up in a tree up Demontoluzan, wet but safe. now in Greenburg,La. with daughter Penny. like so many of the others, we now have an expensive lot- no rebuilds for us. Dick and Nadine Stamm
dick stamm, greensburg, La (Sent Apr 4, 2006 6:36:28 PM)
Blessings to the Benvenutti family ... you are an inspiration to all. Don't heed the naysayers - they are always lurking around every corner, but cannot conquer the love of goodness in others.
Katie M, NY, NY (Sent Apr 4, 2006 7:37:00 PM)
the toronados didn't get me...but the Tennesse folk...oh sh** man they got the worst last night...blessings to them....we are all southern folk...and we look out for all.....i'm lost for words now....ya'll take care!
andy,booneville ms. (Sent Apr 8, 2006 11:07:19 PM)
Pete and Betty, bless you. Hope all goes well for you in the future. As to normal, I just don't know. Everyday something new makes me really scared. What's to become of our nation? It makes me want to put my head in a hole. What is going on in the United States?
Jane, Southern Mississippi (Sent Apr 12, 2006 1:52:26 AM)
carl smith,
To all the people hit by hurricane katrina. It will be a long time to recover. but with faith and will power you will recover and with all the other people. who are helping and staying strong you will recover from this hurricane.God bless you. stay strong. we are praying....
carl smith renovo pa (Sent Apr 13, 2006 5:05:42 AM)
you know...there is no real "NORMAL"...there is only the world in whitch we all live...as Rosanne Rosanna Danna use ta say "it's always something"
andy,ms (Sent Apr 23, 2006 9:00:59 AM)
The Benvenutti's are in ther little house. They now have a huge new porch on the front of it. Last week sod was brought in and family members and friends from California showed up to do landscaping. I can attest to the fact that my parents are extremly grateful and happy. Their home is small but it's on their piece of this earth. Katrina took so much but she also opened eyes to what is really important in this life. Family and friendships are what we were left with. Helping our neighbors, friends and family members survive and thrive gave us and continues to give us the "Normal Feeling" What we have now in Bay St. Louis is not the same as before, but it's not bad, just different. I'm sure the little cottage with the Red roof( what Pop insisted on)will encourage more people to come back and build in the area.
If you have the pleasure of riding down Felicity St. in the evening, make sure you wave to the folks on the front porch, chances are they will be out there visiting with neighbors, taking in the view of the Bay and enjoying the sea breeze.
PS- just don't drive to fast, the old retired marine still has a bellowing voice and will yell, "SLOW DOWN"
Patrick Benvenutti (Sent Jul 11, 2006 1:09:18 PM)
I always try to remember to get the following information: Who, What, Where, Why, When. Phone number.Who (correct spelling of their name & who they are or what company they are with)What (what are they needing)Where (If it's regarding to do something, the location)Why (why are they needing the info)When (if an activity the date and time; if need info - by what date they need the info)Phone Number (the number and a good time to return their call)
Ken Dryden (Sent Dec 5, 2006 9:13:09 AM)
I'm Trying to find Betty Bienvenutti Protti Evans
She used to live in Bay St. Louis
Would you happen to know her?
Renee (Sent Oct 27, 2007 11:31:03 PM)
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