Regardless of your politics, if you’d met him, you’d have liked him. Messages of love and loss are coming from across the country after Rep Connolly’s death yesterday. Most of them are from famous people, members of Congress, the Biden Administration, leaders from many walks of life.

I’m just one person, part of a safety coalition, who met him once, two years ago. But let me tell you a little about that meeting so you can understand what a huge loss this is.

Members of the Truck Safety Coalition were putting on our very first big fundraiser, and we planned on presenting Representative Connolly an award for his steadfast support of our work, particularly and most recently, pushing for a bill to require the United States Post Office to take responsibility for hiring safe carriers when they contract mail movement out.

Representative Connolly couldn’t make it to our evening dinner, so a few of us went to his office to present the award. I’ve presented a lot of awards to members of Congress in my years with Truck Safety. Many times you end up giving it to a staffer who will hand it off to the Member later. Sometimes you get a meeting with the Member, generally something short and sweet. You say your thing, they smile, and say thank you, then you pose for the obligatory picture and you’re off to the next meeting.

On that September day back in 2023, Representative Connolly’s staff ushered us into his office where we sat on his couches and waited a minute for him to arrive. Standing when he did, there were introductions and handshakes all around. We did the award, got the picture and were preparing to leave when he looked around at us and said —

“Can you folks stay for awhile?”

And so we sank back onto the couches and chatted. He told stories. We told stories. He listened. We spent maybe 20 or 30 minutes with him. One of our young mothers, who’s college aged med school son had been killed by a semi, told her story.

The Congressman cried. So did we.

When we left, all of us crammed into a small office vestibule saying goodbye, he hugged her for a long time, both of them sniffling.

That’s the man we met a little over two years ago. And listening to people’s stories now that he’s gone, I’m pretty sure that’s the man everybody met. There aren’t many of those kind of people left in Congress.

The country should stop and think of Rep Connolly this week, think of his family and his staff and his friends. They’re all going to miss him so much. And while you’re at it, think about all of us, because we’ve all lost another valiant fighter for good.

May he rest in peace. I already know his memory is a blessing.