Melanie Paisano Rhodes Celebration of Life

Hello there! I am Jordan Rhodes! Son of the late, great Melanie Paisano Rhodes!

My mom has become an intense missing piece of my life since her passing last year (March 31st, 2024) at the age of 48. The successes and triumphs I'm accomplishing as a human being (and as a man) are all without the person who used to cheer me up and cheer me on the most. Her absence is a crater in my lungs that cries out in a belting scream or a full-body anxiety-riddled shiver from time to time when (mostly) no one's around.

I need my family.

There are moments where I don't know what family is. Relationship-wise, my mother and I had bumps. And there's a treasure trove of information, questions, and possible interrogations I'll never have the chance to ask her again. Was my mom ambidextrous or was she left-hand or right-handed dominant? How in touch with her Native American roots was my mom in the eyes of her peers? Her father, my grandfather, was a poet--how many stories could my mother possibly have had about her father in his heyday--him in his poetry prime, if you would. But I feel ostracized, and my mother's wisdom is lost.

At her lowest, I was my mom's best friend, and yet I was always distant. It felt like we were in our own little solar system, and as far apart as possible somehow. Yet, my mom managed to pull many great people into her orbit. Her intent was laden with positive energy and I reaped the benefits by basking in her glow, but I was never around my mom enough. And once they're gone, it's bullsh*t because there's fifty-two and infinity things you'd love to ask or experience with your lost loved one that you just can't anymore. My mom and mine's relationship was wholly transparent; without her to talk to, it's like I lost a precious part of me: her company and her acceptance included.

I'm trying to fill that hole as seamlessly as possible.

There are 70 written names on the guest list. I'm fumbling the execution of this event because I'm a literal puddle of anxiety, and I'm unprepared for this not only emotionally, but also financially, and maybe even physically (all hands on deck!) I have family coming to stay in a hotel for the festivities, family staying the night before so they can help the day of, and my mom and myself have lots of friends coming out to hangout as well.

The idea is to have enough events, entertainment, food, drinks, and games to have an entire day to hangout with everyone and have time set aside to share stories about my mom and celebrate like she would have wanted.

We have a fire pit out back and plenty of backyard. The living room and basement aren't off limits, either.

It's supposed to be a light rain the day of.

$600 GoFundMe Goal would cover:

+ Food (ingredients)

+ Drinks (alcoholic + non)

+ Catering (big orders)

+ Rentals (porta potty, canopies etc)

+ Gas (to pick anyone up)

There is an itinerary of events I'd like to host during the get together as well. I don't know if we'll actually have time to get to everything.

There is a private Facebook event listed that includes a link to this GoFundMe.