By Kara Smith, Mother of Jordan
I know I am not alone that when I think of Jordan the first thing I picture is his huge smile - and maybe him flexing his muscles for the camera as well. That was our Jordan, always trying to bring happiness to others and showing off his charisma at the same time. Jordan did more than simply light up a room when he was in it; he lit it on fire with his personality. He did not want those around him, nor himself, to simply be good, but rather he wanted us all to be great. Each of us has had a moment or time in our lives where Jordan was there for us, and told us not to give up, and to push on, reaching beyond our potential.
Jordan was all about potential. From an early age, he was fearless, full of smiles, and faithful to his family and friends. He would talk to simply anyone about anything at any time. Jordan was never a stranger to the world, but a friend to anyone and everyone around him. Young, old, quiet, it did not matter, if you were next to Jordan, he was going to talk to you about something. As he grew into a young man, his persona became larger than life, and the impact he had on us grew along with him. He was more than a son, a brother, a grandson, a friend; he was our Jordan, a young man whose bond to us stretched deeply beyond the simple description of relationship titles.
Jordan's personality was infectious, uniting, and joyous. It did not matter who you were; he was going to connect with you, and if you let him, he was going to be a part of your life and change it for the better. The more time you spent around Jordan, the more your face would get sore from all the smiles and laughs and "Big Rizz" personality he brought into your life.
To Jordan, there seemed like there were no goals that were out of reach. He said he was going to be successful at real estate, and so he went out and blazed a trail that seemed impossible for anyone - anyone but him. He could nearly sell anyone a house, even if they were not looking for one, and if you already had one - maybe you needed a second one.
In his 20 years, Jordan lived life beyond a potential most of us thought possible for such a young man. We are showered with photos and memories which seem to span many lifetimes worth of experiences. Jordan went out and lived life beyond its fullest. In nearly every picture and memory of him, he is out enjoying life, being active, driving boats. fishing, enjoying adventures with friends, and trying out car washes from the bed of a truck.
If there was an adventure to be found, he was going to find it, and if there was a conversation to be had, he was going to have it, and if there was a hug that was needed, he was going to give it. For many of us the sky is the limit, but for Jordan there was no limit; through his eyes he helped us to see unlimited potential in everyday life.
From the smiles, laughs, a million flexing photos, and even a few sunken jet skis, we can look back at so many moments of his undeniable charisma and happiness that we will treasure for just as many lifetimes.
To Jordan, family was more than a word, it was a lifestyle. He loved his siblings, parents, and extended family deeply.
He was big brother who made his siblings feel safe, a son who made his parents feel loved and appreciated, and a cousin/grandson/nephew who was more of a friend and brother to us than we could have ever imagined. Jordan will always be a central part of all our families.
