Alhambra City Councilmember Jeff Maloney shared this photo and a memory of meeting the late Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) in January 2019. The famed civil rights leader, who died on July 17, was laid to rest on Thursday. Maloney recalled that he and his family had gone to Washington to attend the U.S. Conference of Mayors winter meeting.

“While on a tour of the Capitol, we were admiring the artwork in the grand rotunda when a kindly gentleman who was walking through focused his attention on my four-year-old son and walked right up to him to shake his hand.

“It took me a minute to realize the man was Congressman John Lewis, someone who had marched alongside Martin Luther King, Jr. during the civil rights movement in the 1960s. That kind gesture was definitely the highlight of our trip!

“Congressman Lewis has been clear and consistent in his message of justice from the 1960s until today. It isn’t every day that you get to meet a true humanitarian hero — we will not forget that day. He will continue to be an inspiration to our family. RIP Rep. John Lewis.”

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