Q was the kind of person you didn't just call a friend, he called you. He stayed in touch, he showed unwavering support, celebrating your accomplishments together and grieving losses. He built coalitions around issues we all cared about, drawing on shared humanity. He had a skill at delivering honesty and accountability in hard situations too, asking the right questions, and reminding you of what you might be overlooking.
Q was a smart and compelling leader who was a kind of humble and down to earth that people don't always expect from someone in politics. He was the embodiment of people over politics, we before me and he'd make sure others focused that way too.
I will always remember his kindness and commitment to our state and am grateful to have received one of his wonderful hugs yesterday.
Today, as Aaron and I continue to grieve our friend we are thinking about his wife Carissa and his mom Queen. We will do our part to make sure his memory is always a blessing and consider ourselves lucky to have memories of Q to hold close.
Sending love to Carissa, Queen, the City of Middletown, and all the public servants who loved and admired Q. |