Former Milwaukee co-workers rally around 'kind soul' who died with no family

Domingo Rodriguez did not speak English.

But the 68-year-old dishwasher did speak the language of smiles, "little chuckles," and small gestures of kindness, which endeared him to his young co-workers at Buca di Beppo restaurant.

They helped Rodriguez create a Facebook page and “friended” the man nearly three times their age.

“He was just such a sweet person,” Samantha Kostuch, 23, remembered.

“He could make anyone else’s day better with that smile.”

Domingo R. Rodriguez, known as “Luis” at the former downtown Milwaukee restaurant, was taken off life support at St. Francis Hospital June 15.

Four days earlier, a neighbor found him severely injured at the bottom of the porch of his home in the 2300 block of S. 13th St.

His only “family” appears to be the servers, busboys and other Buca employees whose days he brightened and who made sure he did not die forgotten.

Those who are now committed to give him a funeral if no family can be found.

“We want to make sure he is honored properly,” Kostuch said.

Milwaukee police are investigating the cause of the multiple injuries suffered by Rodriguez, which included broken ribs and facial contusions, traumatic bleeding of the brain, spinal fractures and lung lacerations.

Shortly before 6:30 a.m. the Monday before Rodriguez died, an unknown 911 caller reported that he had fallen.

He was talking and thought to be intoxicated when he was brought to the emergency room of St. Francis shortly before 7 a.m.

He was eventually transferred to an intensive care unit, where his condition deteriorated. He was placed on life-support, pending notification of family.

"There is no current known family for the decedent," a Milwaukee County medical examiner's report says about the man with the smile.

Medical examiner's investigators have learned little about Rodriguez, though they do know he used two dates of birth — "4-9-49" and "8-4-49" —- and that he went by multiple names during his 68 years. Those include Domingo Santiago, Domingo R. Corrales, Domingo Rio Rodriguez, Domingo Rodreguez-Rios and Mauricio Ortega.

According to the report, in 1975 Rodriguez was arrested in Houston, Texas, and deported to Mexico, and he was on file with the FBI for reasons that are not indicated.

He was arrested in Grand Rapids, Mich., in 2003 for an offense that is not specified. His immigration status at the time of his death had not been confirmed, and he did not appear to have a Social Security number.

The Mexican consulate later informed the medical examiner's office that Rodriguez's birth certificate had been located, that his birth date is Aug. 4, 1949, and that he was from the state of Coahuila.

The consulate was attempting to find relatives of Rodriguez but had not located any as of Friday, a medical examiner's official said.

A friend said Rodriguez had become depressed after being robbed twice the week before he was found injured, and that his drinking had increased, according to the report.

His Spanish-language Facebook page has no funny memes or viral videos — but he did share a photo of a lady friend with a wish for her to "have good dreams"; a link to a Vicente Fernandez song, "Borracho Sin Cantina" ("Drunk Without a Tavern"); a message from another friend asking about snow; and a photo link to a page devoted to horse racing in Mexico.

A nurse at St. Francis found Rodriguez's Facebook page and contacted a Buca employee, who spread word of his hospitalization.

“I called the hospital but they couldn’t tell me anything about his condition, so I went there,” said Adriana Guillen, 30, who worked with Rodriguez at Buca until the restaurant chain closed its location near downtown.

Guillen recalled the hard-working man with the smile, who befriended the homeless at Kosciusko Park, taking the time to talk with them and bring them food. 

“The thought that he was in the hospital alone all those days just broke my heart. I wanted to be there for him,” Guillen said.

Guillen asked for the hospital chaplain, squeezed the dying man's hand hoping for a response, and whispered in his ear in Spanish.

She was joined by three of Rodriguez's neighbors, and together they prayed for "Luis" — and wept when a nurse told them it was time to leave.

“She told me they were going to take him off life-support,” Guillen said.

Kostuch and Teresa Lopez, another former Buca employee, were trying to get to the hospital when Kostuch got the text from Guillen about the withdrawal of life-support.

“I cried, that something like that happened to an older gentleman who was just so sweet,” said Kostuch.

“To have his life end so tragically without his family by his side. Something like that, you don’t have to know someone well to feel compassion."

So far, no relatives of Rodriguez have been found, though friends said he might have a son who lives in the Chicago or Joliet, Ill., areas.

If no family is found to claim his body, Rodriguez’s “Buca family” is prepared to step up.

They've set up a GoFundMe account with a goal of $2,500.

“No one deserves to die alone and Luis deserves to be remembered and celebrated in a proper way,” Kostuch said.

“The world has lost a kind soul.”

Anyone with information on Rodriguez or his family is asked to call the Milwaukee County medical examiner’s office at (414) 223-1200.