MARLENE KARAS/VIEWWeatherman John Fredericks is shown at the monument for his dog Jordan, Aug. 3 at the Craig Road Pet Cemetery.
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He was bigger than life while he lived -- a local TV celebrity who came into people's homes almost daily. Now, he's bigger in death.
The headstone memorial marking the final resting place of Jordan, a Labrador retriever, is the largest in the pet cemetery. It stands nearly 6 feet tall. A picture of Jordan dominates the granite memorial and is poster sized.
The background for the color shot is larger than life too -- Mount Rushmore.
Jordan was owned by KVBC-TV weatherman John Fredericks. The dog was Fredericks' on-air buddy and appeared at numerous community events, furthering the cause of organizations like Heaven Can Wait, the Las Vegas Valley Humane Society and the Nevada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
"With all the good he did in the community and what he meant to all these people, now there's a place for people to come visit him," Fredericks said.
The headstone was unveiled on Aug. 3 at the Craig Road Pet Cemetery, 7450 W. Craig Road. About 70 people gathered in the early morning to help mark the occasion. People brought yellow roses -- a symbol of friendship -- and their cameras.
"There was a sense of comfort, seeing him on TV every morning," said Chris Akana, a state worker who was at the unveiling with her dog Iki.
Many attendees were moved to tears when Fredericks recounted the final moments of Jordan's life at the Sahara Pines Animal Hospital.
"I know I'll see him again at the Rainbow Bridge," he said.
Jordan was born on Jan. 30, 1991, and died on Aug. 4, 2007. His cremated remains were kept in a cherry wood box at Fredericks' Summerlin-area home until the memorial could be erected. Besides the ashes, the memorial encases Jordan's dog tags, his favorite bandana and a tuft of his fur.
When Jordan died, roughly 600 people attended his service at the pet cemetery. At that time, Fredericks asked that donations be made to the Nevada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The organization reported receiving nearly $30,000 in Jordan's name.
"Most of it was raised almost instantly, within two weeks of Jordan's death," said Doug Duke, director of the NSPCA. "Donations kept coming in over the months."
Most donations were for $25, he said.
"And that doesn't include the in-kind gifts we got -- blankets and dog food," he said.
In-kind gifts also took care of most of the memorial. It only required $300 to erect.
Those wishing to donate in Jordan's memory can contact the Nevada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals at 873-7722.
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