Remembering Dan

It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of one of our cherished volunteers, Dan Chavez.

For nine years, Dan faithfully served Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep as an Affiliated Photographer, Dispatcher, and Level 3 Digital Retouch Artist. During that time, he provided remembrance photography services to 118 families, leaving a lasting impact not only on those he served, but also on the countless volunteers, medical professionals, and staff members who had the privilege of knowing him.

Dan’s commitment to NILMDTS was deeply personal. Before he ever learned about our organization, he experienced the heartbreaking loss of his granddaughter. In the midst of that grief, his instinct was to serve. He provided photographs for his family, recognizing the immeasurable value of preserving precious memories during unimaginable loss. When he later discovered NILMDTS, he found a meaningful way to use his talents to help other families facing similar heartbreak.

His Area Coordinator, Amee, reflected on Dan’s dedication:

“I had the honor of meeting Dan when I began volunteering with NILMDTS and was immediately struck not only by his passion for helping NILMDTS families, but also his optimism for what the gift of his time and talent could do for these families in their healing process.

Before Dan was even aware of NILMDTS and its mission, he experienced the tragic loss of his granddaughter. His immediate reaction was to provide an essential service to her parents: …