Community. It’s a word so often used that the meaning can get lost. But when the COVID pandemic struck in 2020, being a part of a community was important, even when distance was required. That’s what Jay and Brittaine Davis learned when they moved into Belhaven Village in 2019, and they continue to value their community six years and three more children later.

Jay is a senior project manager with Dovetail Construction, a commercial general contractor in Greenville. He received his construction science and management degree from Clemson University.

“I started my career in Charleston, South Carolina, but soon moved to Brasfield & Gorrie in Atlanta, Georgia. I was there for 14 years before transitioning to Dovetail Construction. I’ve enjoyed getting to know the Greenville community and connecting with business owners on various projects. I’m currently working with Table 301’s Chef Nico Abello on Enlo, a restaurant which is scheduled to open later this year.”

Brittaine is a physician assistant with Parkside Pediatrics. She received a biology and health science degree from Clemson before attending PA school. She trained in neurosurgery at the Medical University of South Carolina and worked at Emory University before moving to Greenville.

“I love the culture at Parkside and the ability to follow patients along for a thorough care plan. It is also a joy of mine to care for families in our neighborhood. I love that they feel comfortable enough to call me if someone has taken a spill on a bike or there is someone in need.”

The Davises met the week before she graduated from Clemson.

“It was love at first sight,” Brittaine says, “and Jay moved down to Charleston, where I was working, after he graduated. We joined a church together, surfed on the weekends, and volunteered for medical mission trips in Ecuador, South Africa, and Uganda.”

Like many paths, though, theirs did not run straight.

“We decided to go our separate ways when I was in PA school and Jay moved to Atlanta and didn’t see each other for five years.  But once we reconnected at a wedding in 2013, we were engaged six months later, marrying in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, in 2014. We still enjoy going back to Charleston and remembering all the fun we had when we were first dating.”

The Davises welcomed son Fields, in 2018.  They had struggled with infertility, and Brittaine had left the stress of a surgical PA position for an outpatient position.

“We were so grateful to God for our child, and we quickly realized we wanted to give him a sibling. Wanting a bigger home, we moved to Hollingsworth Park. The pandemic hit when I was towards the end of my pregnancy with our son Briggs, and there were so many unknowns. As a Christian, I have always attempted to not walk in fear, but as an expectant mom with a young child, it was difficult. Jay and I spent many hours walking around the park with Fields. Hollingsworth Park provided a lot of peace when the world was upside down. I remember playing in our neighbors’ yards with the kids when we couldn’t go anywhere. Now they are our best friends, and we do life with them regularly. It ended up being a very beautiful time when we were able to get back to the foundation of what matters to us: our faith, our family, and our community.”

Since then, the Davises have welcomed two more children. Daughter Mary Windsor was born in 2022, and son DuBose was born in 2024.

“Not having family in town, neighbors came to our home when Brittaine went into labor with Mary Windsor and DuBose,” the Davises say. “One of our pediatricians lives in the neighborhood, and another neighborhood friend, a photographer, has taken many pictures of our family over the years.”

Like many of us, Jay and Brittaine have experienced a post-pandemic return to normalcy. Jay is the vice president of the Belhaven Village Homeowners Association. Brittaine has joined a Freedom Tennis league.

Together, their weekends include trips with the kids to Clemson for a football game or to Sapphire Valley for hiking. But no matter where they go, they are always mindful of the community that helped them through the toughest time.

“Our faith is very important to us, and our favorite verses from the Book of Mark are ‘Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ It has truly been a testimony in our neighborhood of how people care about one another and a call to love others.