Gulfport woman receives gift of a lifetime after losing home, 3 loved ones

GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) - One Gulfport resident who lost her home to a hurricane three years ago was gifted a brand new house on Friday by Habitat for Humanity and its community partners.

Connie Campbell’s home was destroyed by Hurricane Zeta in 2020.

“The roof and all the siding, it just tore it up,” she told WLOX. “It wasn’t livable anymore.”

She moved in with her daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter. Meanwhile, multiple agencies pulled together to help her.

Habitat for Humanity, Catholic Charities of South Mississippi and many more sponsors built her a new one bedroom, one bath, 800-square-foot house from the ground up.

“It’s very spacious,” Habitat’s Cristal Hunt said. “I know when I walked in, I was like, ‘Oh, it’s so big’, and I just turned around in a circle because it’s larger than what you would expect.”

Bishop Louis Kihneman from the Catholic Diocese of Biloxi prayed over the family, friends and the new residence before blessing the property with holy water.

“She was virtually homeless, and I am really grateful for everyone that took part in this particular build,” the Bishop said.

Campbell has lived on the property for 30 years, but her dwelling was not the only loss she dealt with.

In the estimated 900 days it took the team to build the new house, Campbell’s husband, mother and father all died.

“It’s been a long road, but I feel totally blessed and happy to be here,” she said. “I’m just so grateful to have it. I’m grateful to be able to live here in my home and my property where I’ve always lived. I just wish that my mother and daddy and that my husband could have seen it.”

Campbell is one of three Gulf Coast residents who are receiving new homes from Habitat for Humanity following Hurricane Zeta.

The other two will be revealed soon. One is also located in Gulfport while the other is in Stone County.

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