LEXINGTON, Ky. — Loved ones, friends and former bandmates of Frankfort’s Jordon Ellis are keeping the memory of the drummer who passed away back in February, playing in the community’s hearts.
Jaret Ellis describes his brother, Jordon Ellis, as someone who knew a perfect sound or song by ear. He said Jordon, once a drummer, would create amazing beats and more as someone skilled with his hands, even recalling a time he fixed his car engine at just 19.
However, Jaret Ellis and his family’s lives changed forever in February, after Jordon Ellis ended his life by suicide at 36 years old.
“We lost someone important, a lot of people, someone who helped a lot of people out, but could not find a way to externalize his struggles,” Jaret Ellis said.
Now, an immersive event dedicated to celebrating Ellis’s life through art and healing with Noise for Jordon.
A committee formed by local community members and close friends with Ellis has recruited a list of performers, acts and an open street festival for those wanting to share the special day. The event will also highlight different vendors and resources that show how the community is providing mental health and addiction recovery support through local nonprofits, like Yes Arts.
Joanna Hay, a founder of Yes Arts and close friend of Ellis and his family, said their plans speak toward his legacy.
“The arts is both a tool for healing and addressing trauma, and it’s also a way of expressing one’s self and I don’t think there’s anyone who could express himself more fully through his art than Jordon Ellis did,” Hay said about the young man she knew. “It’s going to be that memorial portion of a way for us all to come together as a community, and have that grieving process with family and friends.”
They hope the community can connect by doing the things Jordon Ellis loved, while receiving a message of hope for those dealing with matters of mental health in this city.
“One thing I would like is for us to get his mental health care to act like an urgent care facility,” Jaret Ellis said about some of the other support resources Frankfort could use. “Right now, if you cut yourself or sprain your ankle, you can go and get help right now, but if your kind is failing you, you can be on a waiting list for months.”
He said his brother would be surprised by how many people cared.
“In the end, he probably thought that he was in more trouble than people would’ve lent to help him,” he said.
Jaret Ellis said if it’s one thing his brother will forever be known for, it’s certainly the sound he brought to the world.