Petros M. Beys

“A full life,” that of Petros Beys. An exciting journey around the world that began in Apoikia, Andros, on March 29, 1937, and ended on May 25, 2026, in America, the country he consciously chose as his second homeland while still a student at Stevens University. His path on planet Earth was filled with childhood mischief, exile, adventure, struggle, creation, and success. With freedom as his philosophy of life, and with the feeling of the open horizon one experiences standing on the bridge of a ship gazing out over the ocean...

Petros Beys proved that a dream can come true when accompanied by knowledge, perseverance, and ethics. Along this path, he held firmly to certain values, as he used to say: “Never forget your roots, and always be proud of them; seize luck whenever you encounter it; never be timid in the face of difficulty; never stop trying until you find the solution; always be honest; never underestimate your opponent; let your word be stronger than a contract; and never forget that whoever thinks he knows everything has already lost the game...”

Petros Beys, the naval architect, the chief engineer, the lover of the yemitzides — those who confront hardship bravely and work to the limits of their abilities — was an intelligent and charismatic man, an open mind who lived a life full of adventure. A citizen of the world, who crossed the Atlantic with his own Yemitzis.

He chased his dreams. “We used to sail our improvised tin boats, and at the same time we dreamed — of becoming captains, shipowners...” he once told me during one of our long transatlantic telephone conversations, reminiscing about his childhood. He felt fortunate to belong to a generation that, although it experienced the hardships of war, emerged rich in experiences and, above all, with the dream and determination to build a better tomorrow with its own hands.

I preserve here his own account:

“When I first went to America to study, at my father’s insistence — because I wanted to become a captain — my goal was to study and then return to Greece, to my homeland. It never crossed my mind that I would remain in America. I thought of nothing except going back. But in my first year of graduate studies, I came to understand the American mentality and decided to pursue the American dream. Along the way, I made money and lost money. I made friends and lost friends. I helped many people. I do not believe I ever wronged anyone. My life, from Andros until today, has been dynamic, interesting, and full of difficulties, successes, and adventures. I have interacted with every stratum of society — from dock workers to American presidents, from mobsters to despots, ambassadors, and American heroes. But I always tried to remain the simple Petros from the mountains of Andros, and I never took advantage of these acquaintances. I always placed myself on equal footing with everyone I knew. When I spent time with a dock worker, I became a dock worker too... and when I spent time with the upper class, I behaved accordingly. In short, I am a man for all times.”

I had the special honor of having him entrust me with thoughts, memories, reflections, and precious personal moments during the writing of his biography. “Line up my grandchildren so they can know a few things about their grandfather’s life,” he had told me. Through endless conversations and narrations, I came to know not only the journey of a great Andrioti, but also a deeply thoughtful man — restless, generous in knowledge, and generous in soul.

“To dream in life … If a person does not dream, does not set goals, does not strive to achieve them, then what is the meaning of life? It is not only the final result that matters. What matters is the journey... the taxidi of dreams. The journey of life...” Petros Beys believed.

The valuable lessons I learned through speaking with him will always remain with me.

– Adapted from a tribute by Manio Manesi, writer and biographer of Petros Beys