LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) – It was a tune that started in this living room and turned into a song that many will never forget.
It's called 'Nick Rodman's City.' Stephen Gould wrote the song for the officer days after he passed away, posting a video on YouTube with hopes that it would somehow make it to his family. That’s when he received a late night phone call from Louisville Metro Police.
“It was around 11:30 and I got a call from Lt. O’Neil. He said, ‘Stephen we saw the video, the family saw the video, and it is too late, I know this is last minute to come perform it,’ and I was like absolutely, I would love to do that,” Gould explained.
He brought the song to life in front of thousands of people who were there to support the fallen officer, an officer that Steve Francis will never forget.
“Nick was just fantastic, he was just, it's such a loss for our community,” Francis said.
Francis was assaulted last summer and suddenly it was police officer Rodman who would enter his life in his time of need.
“I was very upset because I was struck unprovoked, and he was just absolutely amazing and I just feel so compelled to give back to his family,” Francis explained.
Francis came up with the idea to write the song for Officer Rodman. He contacted Gould and together they told his story.
Lyrics like, ‘you say he's fallen to the ground, but really he's an angel in the crowd’ and ‘not only did he give his life for his family, but for this Louisville city, Nick Rodman's City.’
“To not focus on the fact that he's down, because he's not. He's really an angel, and he's still, I really feel he's still looking out for us,” Gould explained.
The song doesn’t stop there. Francis and Gould told WHAS 11 News they’re trying to put together a benefit concert for the Rodman family.