Minnesotans remember late state Rep. Melissa Hortman for authenticity, kindness

What set Rep. Melissa Hortman apart

Minnesotans are remembering Rep. Melissa Hortman and what legacy she leaves behind. FOX 9's Soyoung Kim has the latest.

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (FOX 9) - As people across Minnesota begin to process and grieve the loss of late state Rep. Melissa Hortman's stories of who she was are coming into focus.

Force of kindness 

The backstory:

In the aftermath of the horrific shootings of two state lawmakers and their spouses early Saturday morning, one couple -- Melissa and Mark Hortman -- was shot and killed.

Local perspective:

Hundreds of people gathered to lean on one another for support as they honored the Hortmans on Wednesday with a candlelight vigil on the state Capitol steps.

What they're saying:

Over the past several days, the stories from those who knew Melissa Hortman in different capacities have been consistent. Many people have said she took the time to get to know people outside the House chamber walls.

Lifelong Minnesotan Jenny Olson described her first few interactions with meeting late state Rep. Hortman years ago after Hortman had just given a speech in front of a crowd. Olson said she was inspired by Hortman – the fierce attorney – the practical politician, but what had impressed her most was the thoughtful person.

"I felt seen by her as a young, female attorney. Every single time I saw her, she took a little bit more time to talk to me, to get to know me on a personal level," said Olson. "She wrote me a number of notes throughout the years. She knew how much my niece and nephew meant to me. So, if I posted something on Facebook or she saw something about that, the next note was about being a great aunt."

From a constituent to a fellow attorney to a friend, Olson said what she will remember most is how Hortman made her feel.

"She had a goodness to her core. I felt special when she did that. And I just feel really grateful that someone with so much more important things to do had the time to see me and make me feel that way," said Olson.