Colin Hortman, son of Melissa and Mark Hortman, reflects on parents' memory and makes an appeal for civility

Colin Hortman, son of former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Mark Hortman, said he is still figuring out the best ways to honor his parents' memory eight months after the pair and their beloved dog, Gilbert, were shot and killed in a politically motivated attack at their home.

Only recently, he said, has he felt ready to share more about them publicly.

"I feel like now I'm comfortable enough to be talking out about how wonderful of people they were," Hortman said in his first interview with WCCO ahead of the State of the Union in Washington, where he will attend as the guest of U.S. Rep. Kelly Morrison. 

Remembering moments they had as a family could be a blur in the initial aftermath, as he worked through his grief, he said. But on Tuesday, he fondly recalled mountain biking with his dad and how his mom would bake three cakes and have four frostings ready for his birthday, so he could choose his favorite. 

"I wasn't able to hold on to any of [the memories] and now I'm starting to," Hortman said. 

How he will continue to honor them moving forward is an ongoing process. But a start is emulating the prayer from the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi that Melissa Hortman kept in her wallet that begins, "Lord make me an instrument of your peace."

"If I could live by those values or help try to spread that kind of peace and love into the world, then that would feel good. So I'm figuring out how to do that," he said. "I think talking openly about the impact of political violence and the human cost that's sitting right here is one way."

He hopes that message resonates as he attends the State of the Union Tuesday night. He accepted Morrison's invitation, recalling watching the presidential address with his parents growing up, regardless of who was in the White House.

"I think my message to congressional leaders and representatives and really everybody is just to act with dignity and lead without condemnation of other people or ideas — and keep it based on ideas and not fall back into the tribalism that we've seen in recent years," he said. 

Tuesday's State of the Union comes one week after the Minnesota Legislature began its session, the first without the speaker emerita since her death. Lawmakers across the political divide focused solely on honoring Melissa and Mark as Colin, his wife, and grandparents looked on.  

Hortman's desk will keep her photo and a bouquet of flowers throughout the session. 

Colin said he and his sister, Sophie, and the rest of their family are finding ways to commemorate and remember them in their own way, but he endorsed the tribute to his mom remaining in the House chamber.

"I think it's really great that the leaders in Minnesota have an opportunity to pause when things are getting heated and look at the desk with flowers that will stay on there for the whole session, and just think about the dignity and the respect for the space that she had and that they need to have in that space," he explained.

Morrison said she invited Colin to the State of the Union because of the enormity of the Hortmans' loss, describing Melissa Hortman as a "giant" in Minnesota politics. The first-term member of Congress previously served in the Legislature and was first elected to the House when Hortman became speaker in 2019.

"She led with her actions because, always, that's more important than the words that come out of your mouth. So I think of her every day as I continue on my own political journey," Morrison said. "And I think so many of us try to live up to the example that she set every single day."

Colin said he remembers the moments when his parents opened their home to political fundraisers for his mom's job in elected office across two decades. But that was just one part of their life. There were also potlucks and her "gourmet dinner club" once a month with friends from law school.

"They showed up for their friends and their local community and our family first," he said.