The Jordan’s Way Story

how love for a shelTer dog igNiTed a MissioN

Following a difficult loss after high school, Kris Rotonda moved from New Jersey to Florida to get away and start over. He had no desire to go to school, hang out with friends, or really even leave the house.

But in 2008, he met Jordan. And she changed his world. And he changed hers.

A three-and-a-half year-old Germen Shepherd/ Bull Mastiff/Samoyed mix, Jordan had been at the shelter her entire life. She immediately caught his eye.

“What I noticed right away was that she was the only dog not making a noise as I walked by.”

He asked the staff about her. What was her story? Why had she been there so long?

What he learned broke his heart.

The shelter explained that they get thousands of dogs each year and too often, any dog that’s over a year old got overlooked.

To open up kennel space, shelters often have to focus on the ones who will get adopted easily. The puppies. The smaller dogs. The designer breeds. But dogs like Jordan can spend months –or even years – in a kennel, waiting to be adopted.

Kris asked to meet with Jordan. “She was such a warm dog,” he explained. “She attached to me very quickly, but not in overly excited way. It’s like we both just knew we were meant to be together.”

Kris saved her life that day, but she also saved his.

Jordan got Kris out of his house again – and out of his funk. “I finished college because of her.

I became an entrepreneur because of her,” he explained. He also started bodybuilding. Jordan was with him all the way.

But after almost 11 years with his best friend, Jordan rapidly became severely ill. The news was unexpected: cancer of the heart. The recommendation, euthanasia.

Normally Kris would have agreed, but he just wasn’t prepared to let go. So he bought a little more time with Jordan through several thousands of dollars-worth of surgery.

For the next six weeks, Kris and Jordan traveled together on all kinds of adventures – even taking a trip to Disney World. Then in October 2018, Kris had to say goodbye to his best friend.

Jordan’s Legacy

Following Jordan’s death, Kris felt a deep pull to honor her life somehow. “I was extremely bothered knowing how shelter dogs like Jordan are handled, and that these shelters are where these types of dogs went to die,” he explained. “I wondered how could I help them get their moment to shine when there was so much competition.”

And so Kris came up with the idea of Jordan’s Way, a 501(c)3 non-profit created to raise awareness and funds for animal shelters.

He started small, dressing up like Santa and delivering around 1500 bags of food to shelters across Florida for Christmas. By the following Christmas, he had gained enough attention to get support from brands like Purina and Chewy, this time delivering over 5000 bags of food to Florida shelters over the course of five days.

But anyone who’s met Kris knows he is not a “go small” kind of guy.

First, he spent 10 nights in the outdoor kennels in at his local shelter to help raise more than $100,000 in funds for a new building. For his next idea, Kris trained relentlessly and in June 2020, he pushed, pulled, and flipped a 250-pound tractor trailer tire for 13.1 miles around NYC’s Central Park to raise awareness for these animals. The promotion not only gained local news coverage, he got the attention of the Hallmark Channel and The Dodo – which led to his next idea.

In late 2020, Kris spent 72 hours in a kennel at a local animal shelter -- highlighted on The Dodo –to experience what it’s like being a shelter pet. And in January 2021 – with a total of about 4,000 Facebook followers and a dream – the Jordan’s Way national tour began. Kris and the Jordan’s Way team have now visited over 250 shelters in 41 states, raising more than $2.5 million for shelters and rescues across the country.

“I want people to witness something that shows the power of the love I had for my dog. Jordan did more for me than any human I’ve ever known. Yes, I have strength from years of bodybuilding and powerlifting, but my love for her is what will push me past the pain and drive me to succeed.”

- Kris Rotonda Founder, Jordan’s Way

What’s Next?

Last month, we launched Jordan’s Way Home Magazine to help spread the unique stories of these unnoticed animals and the people who relentlessly love them. While we at Jordan’s Way love all animals, our heartfelt mission is to promote those animals who have a harder time getting adopted. “Getting the unnoticed noticed,” as we like to say.

And as I mentioned, Kris doesn’t “go small.”

April 30, 2022, is National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day. It’s also a day Kris will be attempting his biggest undertaking yet – pulling a car for 24 hours in order to gain a million animal-loving subscribers.

The idea originated with a story Kris read about Strongman Ross Edgley who pulled a car 26.1 miles to raise money for charity. Edgley is the personal trainer for Chris Hemsworth

–perhaps better known as Marvel’s Thor. It’s only appropriate, then, that Kris will be pulling a limited-edition Marvel-themed car – the Hyundai Kona Iron Man edition.

Kris is not wanting to raise money, however. He wants readers. A million of them, in fact.

So over the next five months, in addition to traveling and hosting dozens of Facebook live fundraising events in states across the country, Kris is going to be enduring grueling, non-stop training – all for the love of these animals.

But he needs YOUR help! It’s easy. Simply sign up for the magazine then encourage your friends and family to do the same.

Together, we can get the unnoticed noticed – one reader at a time. www.JordansWayTour.com