Record Staff Report
Holy Cross High School students, faculty and staff honored police officer Nicholas Rodman during a football game at the school Sept. 8.
Rodman, a member of the class of 2005, played football at the Catholic high school located on Dixie Highway. He died March 29, a day after he was injured in a violent crash that occurred as he pursued a suspect in the Portland neighborhood.
On the evening of Sept. 8, members of the school’s football team presented Rodman’s family with a framed jersey — number 45, the number he wore during his years on the team.
A framed jersey will also hang in a “place of prominence” in the school building, said Karen Ernspiker, who is director of advancement at Holy Cross.
Ernspiker said the school also plans to honor Rodman by painting the 45-yard line on the football field blue for all home games.
The school community paid tribute to Rodman the week he died by tying blue ribbons on school columns, sending cards to his family and wearing blue.
T
he school wanted to do something more permanent to memorialize him, said Holy Cross’ president Danielle Atzinger Wiegandt during an interview March 31.
