Friends cherish memories of Southeast graduate

Jordan Hale's friends will remember the good times they had with him, including the time he tried to get R&B singer Tyrese, who has over two million followers on Twitter, to wish a friend happy birthday.

Jordan Hale, center, poses with a group of friends in front of the Show Me Center. Submitted photo

"I'll never forget how he spent almost two weeks tweeting Tyrese to wish me a happy 21st birthday because I told him that's all I wanted," friend Kayla Inez said. "When Tyrese didn't do it, he spent another week tweeting Tyrese that he didn't like him anymore. Then when his album came out, Jordan was like, 'Sorry Kayla, this album go! I can't boycott him anymore.'"

Hale, of St. Louis, died in the early hours of Feb. 11 from a self-inflicted wound. Hale graduated in December from Southeast Missouri State University with Bachelor of Science degree in television and film as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism.

Hale was employed by the KFVS television station in Cape Girardeau as a member of the news production crew. He was also employed as a manager at the Shawnee Park Recreation Center and was a sports official for the Special Olympics Missouri.

"I met Jordan in 2008. We shared a lot of common things, we both did photography. He actually inspired me to start back doing photography," Southeast student Dominick Gregory said. "He taught me a lot of things, and we just used to hang out a lot with him and his friends."

Hale was born in Limestone, Maine, on Aug. 31, 1990. He was 22 years old. He is survived by his mother and father as well as two sisters, Janay Hale and Breanna Derritt.

The funeral for Hale was held in St. Louis on Feb. 18 at his home church, Shalom City of Peace. A magnitude of people came out to support the family during its time of grief. The scene of the funeral was a somber mood as everyone gathered to pay their respects.

A collage of photos of Jordan Hale. Submitted photo

Inside the church there was a board that held messages that had been posted on Hale's Facebook wall when family and friends learned of his death.

"At one point of my life, I saw you every single day," said friend Marion Fields in a post on Facebook that was on display. "The elevators, the dining hall, football games and those nights 'the guys from the [ninth] floor' decided to pull the fire alarms. It's a tragedy you thought it was your time to go. You've touched a community of people and SEMO could never be the same. I remember telling you I was going to name my son Jordan and you gave me a list of other suggestions. I pray your soul has found peace."

Many of Hale's family and friends remembered him for his charismatic personality, genuine spirit, gentle smile and handsome appearance.

"I first met Jordan in 2004, our freshman year of high school and I've known him since then. I remember thinking, 'Man, he's a small football player' because we were the same height," Southeast graduate Alecia Peterson said. "My best memory with him was our freshman year at SEMO and it was my first time seeing him in two years, and I was kind of jealous that he had grown taller and I didn't. He used to come to our room all the time, and one night him and [a friend] Josh were throwing water balloons and playing pranks on the other people on their floor and recording it. It was fun."

The memories that others share with Jordan come in many forms.

"I've know Jordan all the way back to middle school and all the way through college," family friend and recent Southeast graduate Brandon Harvey said. "One of my best memories is of him always getting mad when somebody called him little. His size didn't mean anything to him, Jordan would look up to somebody eight feet and tell them to shut up."