One year ago, we lost Mark and Melissa Hortman, two people whose lives were defined by service, leadership, and a deep love for their family. That same morning, my friend Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were shot and critically wounded in an attack that forever changed their lives.
I will never forget where I was when I got the call. I was preparing to lay my dad to rest later that morning when my police chief reached out to tell me what had happened. In an instant, my family's grief became intertwined with the grief of two other families. He told me the Hortmans had been murdered, the Hoffmans were fighting for their lives in the hospital, and a squad car had been stationed in front of my home.
It is a moment I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
Anniversaries like this are heavy. They remind us how fragile life can be, how strong the families left behind must be, and how resilient Minnesotans are in the face of tragedy.
Today, we remember the lives of Mark and Melissa. We continue to pray for John and Yvette as they heal. And we remind ourselves that violence has no place in Minnesota—not in our neighborhoods, not in our politics, not anywhere.
Please join me in keeping these families in your thoughts and prayers today.