"When any public figure passes away, it causes us to pause and reflect on the life they lived.
"I came of age during the presidency of George H. W. Bush. He was our President when I graduated from high school in 1989. He was the first presidential candidate I ever voted for in 1992. I even dressed as him for Halloween in 1991!
"It is difficult to fully appreciate a great man in the middle of their time of service, but both then and in hindsight, President Bush was an example of true public service.
"As a young student and later as an elected official starting out in public life, President Bush's intellect, leadership, and moral courage influenced me greatly.
"He was an American hero of a kind we may never see again. His record of service to our nation has no contemporary parallel. He volunteered for service in World War II, becoming the youngest aviator in the Navy at the time of his enlistment. Then, he went on to serve our nation as a Congressman from Texas, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, chairman of the Republican National Committee, chief diplomat in China, Director of the CIA, Vice President of the United States, and President of the United States.
"But beyond his extraordinary record of service, George H. W. Bush deserves to be remembered for the profound personal example he set for all Americans. He was a dedicated husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He instilled in his family a drive for serving others and giving back to the American people. He continued to show his quality in the latter years of his life, when he devoted himself to charity, befriended his once adversary in President Clinton, and even shaved his head in solidarity with a young cancer patient whose father served in his Secret Service detail. From beginning to end, George Bush's life was a life well lived.