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*June 18, 2025*






In Mourning, In Unity, In Faith
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Dear Friends and Neighbors,

This has been one of the most painful and surreal weeks I’ve ever walked through—as a Minnesotan and as a legislator.

Like many of you, I was shocked and heartbroken by the devastating news of the tragic loss of Speaker-Emerita Melissa Hortman and her beloved husband, Mark. This senseless act of violence has shaken our entire Capitol community to its core. Melissa was more than a colleague—she was a dedicated public servant whose leadership touched lives across every corner of our state. Her voice in our chamber, her heart for her district, and her tireless work to build a better Minnesota will never be forgotten.

My heart also breaks for their family and friends, and I ask that you keep them in your prayers during this incredibly painful time.

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I also want to ask that you lift up Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in prayer. They are family to me through marriage, and they survived an attempted attack on their lives that very same day. I thank God they are still with us—but the trauma they endured is unimaginable. Please pray for their strength and for the long road of healing ahead.

We also grieve the loss of Melissa and Mark’s faithful dog, Gilbert. He, too, was part of their family—and I know that for many of us, the presence of a beloved pet is a deep and quiet comfort. His loss, too, is part of this heartbreak.

As I’ve been praying and reflecting, I received a message this morning from my friend, Pastor Brent from Northfield. His words spoke directly to my heart, and I wanted to share them with you:

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"As I drove into the Capitol today, I saw this as I passed by and sensed the Lord speak, ‘This is who I AM calling them to be in this moment.’ I am praying over each legislator who is called by His name. Not peacekeepers, but peacemakers. Continue to do what you are doing because you are doing this! I will be praying for you to be filled and overflowing in the name of Jesus."

In this season of mourning, that verse has taken on new meaning. We are not just called to "keep" peace—to preserve comfort or avoid conflict—but to "make" peace, even when it’s hard, even when it costs us something, even when it means standing in the gap during unimaginable grief.

There are no Democrats or Republicans today—only fellow Minnesotans. We are neighbors, parents, colleagues, and human beings walking through sorrow together. Though we come from different perspectives, today, we stand united in our prayers, in our heartbreak, and in our hope.

As we remember Melissa and Mark, let’s not define them by the way their lives ended—but by the way they lived. Let us choose to honor them in how we carry ourselves moving forward: by choosing kindness, by hugging our loved ones a little tighter, by listening a little more patiently, and by treating one another with compassion.

Minnesota is mourning. The Legislature is mourning. I am mourning.

But I believe with all my heart that light still breaks through—even now.

May God bring comfort to those who are brokenhearted. May He give peace to those who are afraid. And may He give us, as a state, the wisdom to carry forward in love, in unity, and in memory of those we’ve lost.

Sincerely,

Representative Dawn Gillman

Minnesota House of Representatives, District 17A











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