The June 14 political assassinations of former Minnesota House Speaker, Melissa Hortman, and her husband, Mark, sent shockwaves through the nation. Compounding the sorrow and outrage is the loss of two devoted advocates pairing service dogs with people needing assistance.
The couple trained service dogs in their spare time for Helping Paws. A local group founded in 1985, Helping Paws fosters people’s independence and quality of life through the use of Assistance Dogs.
Ironically, the Hortmans kept Gilbert, the last dog they trained, because he was “too friendly” to fulfill a service role. Tragically, the four-year-old golden retriever was shot multiple times during the same attack that killed the Hortmans. Gilbert was so severely injured he had to be euthanized according to the Hortmans adult children.
Helping Paws has since been flooded with unsolicited donations. Typically receiving 50-100 donations per month, the non-profit secured more than 5,700 donations in the days following the murders, according to Executive Director, Alyssa Golob. The exact dollar amount is yet unknown. Helping Paws reached out to the Hortmans’ children, Sophie and Collin, who “Gave us their blessing,” Golob told CBS News.
“They said, 'This is what our mom would want: something good to come out of this. And we love your organization so much, and Gilbert was such a big part of all of our lives for four years. And my mom would bless this. Our mom would bless this.’”
Helping Paws and the Hortmans’ surviving family plan to arrange a memorial to The Hortmans and their beloved Gilbert. Supporters and Helping Paws dogs attended a recent candlelight vigil during which one mourner approached Golob.
“A woman came up and said, ‘You know, I made a donation to your organization,' and she's like, 'I just needed to put my rage somewhere’,” said Golob.
After the largest manhunt in Minnesota history, Vance Boelter, 57, was captured on June 16. Boelter, who is also charged with shooting and seriously wounding State Senator John Hoffman, and his wife, Yvette, could face the death penalty.
The Hortmans and their beloved Gilbert will lie in state at the Minnesota State capitol on June 27.