After her father died at hospice, Angie returned with a paintbrush in hand
St. Catharines,
June 16, 2025 — When Angie Roberts lost her father, Harold Griffith, to lymphoma, she
found comfort and healing in something unexpected: a paintbrush.
Her father spent the final days of his life at Hospice Niagara, after months of being cared for by his family at
home. For Angie, that transition was more than just a change in setting.
Moving to hospice offered a chance to step back from the role of caregiver and simply be his daughter
again. “Going to hospice was a huge relief for us. It was a gift,” she said. “It was really a wonderful gift that
hospice was able to give to our family.”
The time they spent together in his final days was deeply meaningful — sometimes even joyful. The day
before her father died, the family celebrated her brother’s birthday in her dad’s room, complete with
decorations, music, cake, and laughter.
“There’s joy that abuts with pain and sorrow, and that’s life. That is the truest definition of life,” said Angie.
“Here we are in this beautiful celebration of my brother and in the next moment we’re mourning the loss of
my father.”
A few weeks later, Angie returned to something she hadn’t done in years—she began painting again.
What started with murals on the walls of her own home led to a new project: a floral mural in the
supportive counsellor’s office at Hospice Niagara.
Angie wanted to give back for the care her dad received, while creating a warm and welcoming space for
other families in their time of need.
The mural features colourful flowers inspired by the fresh bouquets placed in every residence room,
including her dad’s favourite — a yellow carnation— and patterned leaves drawn from the quilts that cover
every bed.
“For me, it’s about there being beauty in the darkness,” said Angie. “I was filled with so much gratitude in
the last days of dad’s life—for allowing me to have that time with my dad.”
Angie, who years ago painted murals at the downtown library and courthouse, says the act of painting
helped her grieve, reflect, and feel close to her dad.
“It was very bittersweet. It felt very much like coming back to myself but also it was something my dad
would never see. I know he would have loved it,” she said. “Now I can look at it and see it was a healing
journey.”