Benneta Betbadal fled Iran as a teenager nearly 20 years ago to escape Islamic terror before becoming one of 14 people to lose their lives in a coordinated attack at a work-related gathering Wednesday, according to loved ones and officials.
Betbadal, also described by officials as Bennetta Bet-Badal, 46, died in the hail of bullets unleased by fellow San Bernardino County employee Syed Farook, 28, and his wife Tashfeen Malik, 27. Both suspects were later killed in a shootout with police.
“Benneta Betbadal was born in Iran in 1969. She fled to America at the age of 18 to escape Islamic extremism and the persecution of Christians that followed the Iranian Revolution,” according to a fundraising website set up by Ken Paulson. “Benneta initially settled in New York City, eventually moving to California and marrying her husband, Arlen Verdehyou, a police officer. They moved to Rialto, California and had three children, now ages 10, 12, and 15.”
It is the ultimate irony that her life would be stolen from her that day by what appears to be the same type of extremism that she fled so many years ago,” the statement said.
A graduate of Cal Poly Pomona, where she studied chemistry, Betbadal enjoyed her career with the county health department.
“Benneta left the house Wednesday morning, excited about a presentation she was scheduled to give to her supervisors and coworkers at their annual meeting,” Paulson continued.
“She loved her job, her community, and her country. Her greatest love, however, was for her husband, her children, and her large extended family,” according to the statement.
Donations to benefit Betbadal’s family are being collected online at www.gofundme.com/y2d8bn7w.

PHOTO via https://www.gofundme.com/y2d8bn7w