A deeply personal loss led one local woman to create a business rooted in remembrance, connection, and the quiet ways people carry love forward.
When Nadine Daye lost her father, the grief did not arrive as a single moment. It unfolded slowly, reshaping her understanding of connection, memory, and what it means to hold on to someone who is no longer physically present.
From that space, Held in the Light Gifts was born.
“Held in the Light Gifts was created in honour of my dad, Hugh Devin,” she said. “I intentionally launched Held in the Light in early April on the anniversary of my parents’ wedding, as a day that represents love that endures, even after loss.”
The business did not begin as a business at all. It began with a single act of care.
“My inspiration began with a gift,” she said. “I wanted to give my mom something meaningful on the first anniversary of my dad’s passing.”
That gift was a handmade suncatcher, designed to hold a small portion of her father’s ashes. What followed was something she did not expect.
“Seeing what that meant to her revealed how powerful it can be to be gifted something that carries meaning, holding both memory and ongoing connection.”
Daye’s professional background has always centred on care. She began her career as a dietitian and now works in early years management, supporting families through different stages of life. But this work, she says, comes from somewhere more personal.
“Creating remembrance pieces feels like a natural extension of that path, shaped by my personal experience with grief and a desire to support others in a way that feels meaningful.”
Her own grief journey shifted over time, not by disappearing, but by changing form.
“After my dad passed, I found that my healing was supported by allowing our connection to change form,” she said. “Speaking to him, noticing signs, and journaling became part of my grief journey.”
She is careful not to position herself as an authority on grief.
“I don’t consider myself an expert in grief support,” she said. “What I’ve created is grounded in experience, what has helped my mom, what has helped me, and what I’ve seen help others.”
At the centre of Held in the Light Gifts are handcrafted memorial pieces designed to carry both memory and presence.
The suncatchers, her original creation, remain the most personal.
“They are a daily reminder that they are still with us,” she said, noting she keeps two in her own home, one for her father and one for her father-in-law.
Each piece is designed with intention. The suncatchers include layered gold hoops, crystals, and a central pendant that can hold ashes, pet fur, or another meaningful element. Importantly, the final step is left to the person receiving it.
“The placement of ashes is completed by the purchaser, honouring this as a deeply personal and meaningful moment,” she explained.
Her collections have grown to include curated gift sets, journals, and small keepsakes, each chosen with care. Many centre on grounding, reflection, and connection.
“Journaling can offer a way to process grief while maintaining connection with those who have passed,” she said, pointing to one of her favourites, the Letters to Heaven journal.
There are also pieces designed for specific forms of loss, including pregnancy and infant loss, and sets created for children navigating grief.
“Having experienced pregnancy loss myself, I understand how deeply painful and often unseen this grief can be,” she said.
What has stayed with Daye most are not the products themselves, but the stories behind them.
“One story that has stayed with me came from Liz, a local maker I work with,” she said. “She shared with me the loss of her son, Kyle, 37 years ago, and how a small angel gifted to her during her healing journey has remained on her desk ever since.”
Moments like that have shaped how she understands her work.
“A thoughtful gift isn’t just something given in a moment,” she said. “It can become something that supports someone through many moments over a lifetime.”
Another moment came through a piece created for a colleague’s family following a pregnancy loss.
“She later shared how meaningful it was to have a dedicated place for this heart, and to feel connected to her little one in that way,” Daye said.
“These are the moments that stay with me most,” she added. “The ones where something small becomes deeply meaningful.”
For Daye, the response from the community has been both affirming and emotional.
“The response from the community has been very supportive, and that encouragement has meant so much as I launched this business and continue to grow it.”
But growth, she says, is not the primary goal.
“I hope to continue growing Held in the Light in a way that remains true to its heart, supporting people through grief with care and intention.”
At its core, the work is about something much simpler.
“I hope they feel some comfort,” she said of those who receive her pieces. “I want each piece to be more than an object, but rather a reflection of enduring love and remembrance for those who have passed.”
Held in the Light Gifts can be found on Instagram and Facebook, with plans for a future website. She can be reached by email at [email protected]. Daye will also be at the Trinity Market in Mitton Village on May 9, connecting with the community and sharing her work in person.
For her, the business remains rooted in the same place it began: a daughter, a father, and the enduring need to stay connected.
And in that space, grief is not something to be fixed, but something to be carried, gently, with meaning.
