CINCINNATI — Flowers and balloons, along with heartfelt goodbyes, flooded the outside of Cali Bar and Grill in Bond Hill, serving as a makeshift memorial for the man who built it into a community cornerstone.
Rodney Jordan, the 61-year-old owner of the beloved neighborhood bar and grill, died following a single-car crash on the Norwood Lateral in the early morning hours of May 16, according to his family. He was driving home from work when the crash occurred around 3:30 a.m. at the 2.3-mile marker on the lateral. Police have not shared what led to the crash.
Known to many as "Bossman" and "Rocky Rod," Jordan was a husband, father and grandfather whose reach extended far beyond the walls of his bar.
"He just was that shining star anywhere he went, he just shined," Sheila Nared, a close friend speaking on behalf of Jordan's family, said. "It's like a collective pain. It's like a cloud all over the city."
WATCH: Bond Hill business owner and community pillar dies in single-car crash
Nared, who also serves as director of Seven Hills Neighborhood Houses' Trauma and Recovery Center, said before opening Cali Bar and Grill roughly six years ago, Jordan worked in sales at a car dealership.
He was known for always dressing well, or "dead sharp," as Nared put it. He was also an avid car enthusiast and Cincinnati Bengals superfan.
But those who loved him said it was his generosity that defined him most.
Jordan organized coat drives and back-to-school supply events, hosted repasses for families who could not afford a venue and opened his bar to community gatherings, Nared said.
His employees felt his generosity just as deeply.
"He wasn't just their boss, he was like their brother, their uncle, their mentor," Nared said. "They was like family."
Jordan's bar drew patrons from across Cincinnati and beyond, Nared said, and the atmosphere he created was one of peace and togetherness.
"It was always peaceful, no chaos and confusion. It was just like one big family," Nared said.
I asked her what she believes Jordan's legacy will be.
"His joy was seeing other people happy, and he went out of his way to make it happen for so many people, that's what he did," Nared said. "I really do believe that."
She described Jordan and his wife Mercy as inseparable and asked the community to keep her and the rest of his family in their prayers during this time.
"They're holding on, they're doing the best they can to make it through," she said. "It's just a tragic accident. He was so close to home, it was like an exit away, like right there."
As for the future of Cali Bar and Grill, Nared said it will reopen eventually as his family looks to honor Jordan's name and legacy.
Nared encouraged the community to seek support if they're grieving.
"This is definitely an unfortunate incident that should wake us up to know that life is precious," Nared said. "If you need somebody to talk to, just to listen and hear, come talk to us."
Seven Hills Neighborhood Houses' Trauma Recovery Center is located at 901 Finley Street in Cincinnati.
A balloon release in Jordan's honor is scheduled for Saturday, May 30, at 7 p.m. at Cali Bar and Grill in Bond Hill. Grief support resources and staff from the Trauma Recovery Center will be on hand.
"We'll have resources here, and we'll have a team here, so you'll have some shoulders to lean on," Nared said. "Celebrate Rodney, because that's what he would want us to do."
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