Celebration for Nicola Jones at the RBG

(Update)

A Celebration of Life was held Tuesday night to remember the life of a familiar face to CHCH viewers. Nicola Jones lost her battle with cancer a little more than two weeks ago. And she’s missed by everyone here.

It’s also clear how much the community misses Nicola. And how in her 41 years — she touched many lives — including many of our viewers. So her family and friends invited the public to join them in remembering her.

She was silly and knew how to have fun.

Tim Bolen: “We stayed downstairs for the entire Morning Live, building snowmen, having snowball fights and just playing in the snow. That describes Nicola perfectly. That spontaneity and that fun attitude with her job but also in life.”

And had a personality that drew you in.

Amy Ballinger is a friend of Nicola’s: “The big thing for me is she was magnetic. She made people feel good in her presence and she had this quiet easy way of being herself that made other people really comfortable.”

But she’s also being remembered for her kindness and her desire to help others. Like when she helped make a little boy’s Christmas special.

Jaclyn Colville: “We packed up the car full of all the things that were donated and we drove down to deliver it to the family and it was just beautiful. No cameras, not for anything else. Just because she wanted to bring the community together to help one family.”

In her 41-years she touched many lives. And family, friends, colleagues and viewers came together to celebrate her life.

Mike Jones, Nicola’s Father: “She was spontaneous she liked to help people and talking to people around the room here. It’s the same. Its amazing the outpouring. She touched so many people.”

Lori DeAngelis: “For me that was really dear and close is the times that we spent together talking about our sons. And that’s the hardest part because she loved being a mom more than anything else in this world.”

The family has set up this ‘Tree of Life’ and are asking people to share their memories of Nicola on these leaves. The tree will then be planted and these dozens of personal messages will be given to her son.

There were stories from those who knew her. Messages like this one which reads “for all the good and hope you brought”. But also notes from viewers who had never met Nicola but felt like they knew her because she was part of their lives every morning.

“I didn’t know her personally, but I felt so connected to her she was amazing.”

Nicola is missed by everyone here. We’ve had a chance over the last two weeks to share memories and stories with each other here but it was really nice tonight to share those with our viewers, who are feeling Nicola’s loss as well. We spoke to a couple who came from Niagara Falls to be there tonight and they told me they watched Nicola every morning and it was important for them to be there to pay tribute.