Today we are grieving the loss of longtime member of Congress and personal hero Representative John Lewis of Georgia, as well as celebrating his life and tremendous contributions to American civil rights. I’m sure most of you are well aware of his work both in the Civil Rights Movement and in Congress, where he served as a conscience for the body, speaking to colleagues about the effects legislation and policy could and did have on Americans, especially his constituents in Atlanta.

I want to take a moment to honor aspects of Lewis that won’t be mentioned in most of the celebrations of his life we’ll see in coming days, as others focus on his history with the SNCC and leaders such as Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Ralph David Abernathy, Julian Bond, and Reverend Al Sharpton and on specific accomplishments he achieved during his long career in public service.

First, John Lewis held on to his ideals and his integrity through decades of public service, most of it in Congress, despite all the temptations a life in the halls of power can offer. Lewis had as many opportunities to sell out as any other member of Congress, if not more due to his stature in the community, yet he resisted those temptations. He never accrued the kind of wealth that comes so much more easily to those in power, never traded in his wife for a younger woman, never gave in to those who offered him lucrative opportunities to advance himself at the cost of his constituents. He remained loyal and steadfast throughout his life.

Second, Lewis never chose the easy path of wealth and fame that were repeatedly on offer by simply leaving public service for private opportunity. He could easily have taken a position as an MSNBC host, become a prolific author with lucrative speeches to select audiences, or used his famous name to make money on endorsements. He chose, instead, to serve us at every opportunity.

Finally, although John Lewis walked the halls of power and met innumerable times with presidents, corporate titans, and international leaders, he remained a man of the people, always. He could be reached in his office by his constituents who needed his help or found out and about when he was in Atlanta, willing to chat with people who approached whether they’d voted for him or not.

There are few people like John Lewis, and far fewer politicians like him anywhere in the world. We have lost one of the great ones in him. I am grateful for the gifts that he gave us and hope he’ll never be forgotten. Rest in power, John Lewis. Your work here is done and you’re on your way home.