The Valley Light was born out of some of our darkest days. We’re Shannon and Tyler Nelson, a couple whose story has been marked by both unimaginable suffering and undeniable grace. We met in 2006 during a college summer communications course, and after years of friendship, we began dating in 2009 and married in 2012. What followed were years we never could have scripted. We have endured trials that tested every part of who we are: spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and financially.

In 2015, Tyler suffered a traumatic brain injury after a routine blood draw, resulting in a 2-inch skull fracture, a brain hemorrhage, and a frontal lobe brain bleed. He was care flighted to Dallas, transferred hospitals for specialized care, and underwent months of outpatient therapy. Doctors and experts spoke heavy words over our future, warning that Tyler might never work again or even remember his family. But God had the final word. Doors that were closed, including insurance denials and legal hurdles, were miraculously opened. God’s provision carried us through, and in the deepest valley, His light never left us.

In 2019, we began building our family, welcoming Mila, Max, and baby Miller by 2024. Just three weeks after Miller’s birth, we were met with another blow when Tyler was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer after enduring months of stomach pain. Once again, we found ourselves at the bottom of a valley, but never alone. Through every wave of chemo, every workday, and every parenting moment, the Lord has continued to provide strength, peace, and unexplainable joy.

In August 2025, Tyler suffered a major embolic stroke. Fortunately, the Lord protected him, and although he initially experienced more severe side effects on his left side, he has almost fully recovered. His recovery is nothing short of miraculous and a powerful reminder of God’s healing and faithfulness.

As we’ve built Valley Light, shared our story, and sold our merchandise, including our trademark hats, we continue to hear testimonies of how the Lord is using Valley Light to minister to others. Our hats have been on trips across the world, on golf courses, on prayer walks, in hospitals, and in hospice care. Time and again, we hear stories of how the hats are sparking conversations and creating opportunities for people to share the gospel wherever they go.

We know the Lord is using and will continue to use us and Valley Light to expand His Kingdom. If even one person comes to know Christ through our journey, it will be worth it. The Lord continues to sow in us a vision for the future and a ministry that He is birthing out of this experience. We feel deeply called to minister to caregivers and young families facing terminal or long-suffering illnesses, or sudden loss, with children at home.

Isaiah 58:8 says, “Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.” This is the heartbeat of The Valley Light. It’s a place where suffering and hope coexist, where the journey may not always take the path we expect, but the Light always breaks through.

Thank you for walking with us.