From Grief to Purpose: Honoring My Twin Brother and the Beginning of Pnjoy Designs

Greetings to you and Welcome!

My name is Patrina Nichole Joy, and I am the designer and owner of Pnjoy Designs. During Black History Month, I want to share a deeply personal story - one rooted in love, loss, and legacy - about how Pnjoy Designs came to be.

In 2021, during the height of the pandemic, I lost my twin brother Paul at just 44 years young to COVID-19. In the midst of grief, I was given the honor of designing his obituary. What I did not realize at the time was that this act would become a sacred labor of love—one that would shape the path ahead of me.

What made this moment even more meaningful was who my brother was to me.

Paul was my biggest supporter and advocate - not only in life, but in every creative endeavor I pursued. From books and writing projects to design ideas and clothing concepts, he believed in my creativity long before it ever became visible to others. He encouraged me to keep creating, even when the work felt unseen or uncertain.

Designing his obituary felt like carrying that encouragement forward - honoring someone who had always believed in the value of my creative voice. Yet after his funeral, I put my design work on the shelf for a while. Grief has a way of quieting even the things we love most.

Exactly one year after my brother’s passing, I felt moved to upload the obituary design I had created for him to a design platform called PosterMyWall. I did not have expectations—only obedience to a gentle nudge I could not ignore. To my surprise, the design resonated with many people. Families began downloading it, sharing how it brought them comfort during their own times of loss.

That response filled me with deep gratitude and renewed purpose. It stirred something within me to continue creating—this time with intention. I wanted my designs to honor the lives of loved ones while also being a blessing to families in need. For that reason, many of the designs were made available for free, because I understood firsthand how heavy the burden of loss can be.

For nearly a year after my twin brother’s death, I cried out to God asking why and how anything good could come from such heartbreak. God met me right where I was. He heard my cries and gave me an answer I did not expect.

Through this work, God turned my misery into a mission and my pain into purpose.

After a year on the PosterMyWall platform, I launched Pnjoy Designs and created my website. My brother’s life - and his unwavering belief in me - became the inspiration behind it all. Only God could take something so devastating and transform it into something that brings comfort, healing, and provision not only to me, but to so many others.

During Black History Month, I honor my twin brother’s legacy - his life, his love, and the way he championed creativity as something sacred and worthy.  This work exists because he believed in me before the world ever did.

It is my prayer that as you explore Pnjoy Designs, you feel seen and supported. May these designs bring comfort in moments of sorrow and ease even a small portion of the burden that comes with planning a loved one’s funeral or memorial.

Thank you for being here and for allowing me to share this part of my story.

With love,

Patrina Nichole Joy​