On Friday, hundreds of people lined up at the Minnesota State Capitol to pay their respects to Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, who were murdered in cold blood by an assassin. But people were just as strongly moved by the Hortman’s faithful and loyal Golden Retriever, Gilbert, who was also shot by the assassin and humanely euthanized due to the severity of his injuries.
Hundreds of people waited outside the Capitol before they were allowed into the rotunda at noon to pay their respects. Two pedestals sat between the Hortmans’ caskets, one for an arrangement of flowers and the other, for the gold-colored urn holding Gilbert’s remains.
A memorial outside the House chamber for the Hortmans included a box of Milk-Bone dog biscuits with a sticky note saying, “For the best boy, Gilbert.”
“We’ve all had family, pets, and it’s tragic to have the whole family lost in in a moment like that,” said Kacy Deschene, who came to the Capitol from the Minneapolis suburb of Champlin.
Gilbert was supposed to be trained to be a service dog by the Hortmans through Helping Paws, Inc, but Gilbert didn’t make the cut because he was too friendly. So the Hortmans decided to adopt Gilbert to be their family dog.
Helping Paws has twelve of their graduates at the statehouse to serve as a Doggie Honor Guard, with the dogs rotating so that there was always one Golden at the rotunda entrance and exit at all times.
It should be noted that former President Joe Biden was also present to pay his respects to the Hortmans. Biden also did what he did best, act as comforter-in-chief, petting each of the dogs and giving people hugs and a shoulder to cry on.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go do what all pet owners should do, and that is give their furbabies the biggest hugs. Tell them Gilbert sent you.
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