IN LOVING MEMORY OF DWAYNE NIEVES

The RISE Collection has a deeply personal beginning for our family. It began with my son, Dwayne.

 

Dwayne was my firstborn, the oldest of six children in a single parent home, and a man who understood responsibility from an early age. Growing up wasn't always easy, and like so many of us, he faced challenges that helped shape the man he became.

 

One thing I admired deeply about my son was his desire to keep growing, to do what was right, and to make the best of what life had placed in his hands.

He believed deeply in the importance of family. He was a father to three wonderful children and a husband to his beautiful wife for 25 years. 

 

He was so loved by his brothers and sisters and all his nieces and nephews as well. Known for being a gentle man with a heart that wanted to do right by the people he interacted with.
 

In the later years of his life, Dwayne faced an overwhelming series of compounding health problems which brought tremendous physical pain and limitations. This impacted his life at every level both physically and emotionally.

He certainly experienced times when he felt defeated, maybe even hopeless, as his condition worsened. Circumstances like these can cause you to question yourself, yet when his faith was challenged by the weight of everything he was carrying, Dwayne continued reaching for God…right up to taking his last breaths with tears in his eyes as he was ushered into the glorious presence of the Lord.

I remember conversations with him when I would want to encourage him not to lose hope but  to remember that his circumstances did not define who he was, that his life would always have  purpose, and that God  would not abandoned him. We can be struck down without being destroyed and that our hope in Christ is an anchor for our souls, firm and secure.

A JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE'S HARDEST SEASONS

Those conversations became the inspiration for RISE — Rise In Spite of Everything.

 

What began as a mother's desire to encourage her son became a message, I believed others needed to hear as well.

 

There are people all around us carrying burdens we know nothing about. People dealing with illness, broken relationships, financial hardship, loss, disappointment, and quiet struggles that can challenge even the strongest faith.

 

And sometimes, what we need most is to be reminded of what God has already promised.
RISE IN SPITE OF EVERYTHING.

A Life Remembered. A Message That Lives On.

Dwayne has since gone on to be with the Lord, and this entire collection is lovingly dedicated to his memory.

 

Our family knows his life was so much more than the difficulties he faced. He was a son, a husband, a father, a brother, and a man whose life mattered deeply to those who loved him.

 

His story reminds us that a person's worth is never measured by their circumstances, their accomplishments, their possessions, or even their ability to overcome every challenge they face. Our worth was established by the One who created us.

 

Our hope is that through this collection, his story will continue to touch lives and encourage others to hold fast to the promises of God.

If you are walking through a difficult season, please know…

 

You are not forgotten. You are not without hope. And your story is not defined by what you are going through today.

 

Your life is precious. You were created with purpose. And no matter how difficult the road may become, you can keep reaching for the One who promises never to leave you.

 

That is the heart of RISE.

 

That is the legacy I want to carry forward in honor of my son. And that is the message behind every design in this collection.

 

Hold fast to your faith. Remember whose you are. Your hope has an Anchor.

In loving memory of Dwayne Nieves

September 8, 1973 – October 7, 2026

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