A group of Louisiana State University fraternity brothers always remembered the fraternity house cook as a mother figure to them. When a group of graduates found out that she was working two jobs to pay off her mortgage, they stepped up and took care of it.

Phi Gamma Delta alumni surprised their former house cook, Jessie Hamilton, with $51,765 just ahead of her birthday on a day they deemed "Jesse Hamilton Day," according to The Advocate.

"They were my kids. They still are," Hamilton told the Washington Post. "They used to tell me they loved me, and now, they've proved it."

During her time at what's know as the FIJI house from 1982 to 1996, Hamilton would start her days at 4am to be sure breakfast was ready, but also made sure lunch and dinner were on time. On top of all the cooking, she also served as a listening ear, and even gave the boys rides to the grocery stores or doctor's appointments.

"I enjoyed doing it. They loved my cooking," Jessie said. "I was always there to talk things through with them. They'd come in the kitchen and sit on top of the counter and tell me their problems."

As the years have gone by, she stayed in touch with some of the boys, one being 52-year-old Andrew Fusaiotti, the owner of a car dealership in Mobile, Alabama.

After talking with Jessie's kids, he was disheartened to find out she was still working two jobs to pay off the last 16 years of her home mortgage. She had $45,000 to pay it off.

Fusaiotti got ahold of some of the other fraternity brothers, who called more fraternity brothers. In the end, 91 brothers donated around $560 each to raise the money.

"That shows how they all felt about her. Jessie is one of these people that shows up to work and always has a smile on her face, eager to please and never complains," Fusaiotti told Washington Post. "She is the type of person that inspires me, people that don't have a lot, but give a lot. She's the most giving person you've ever met."

Read more at People

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