On Saturday, I lost more than a friend. It feels as though I've lost a member of my family.

I have known Lindsey Graham since I was in my 20s. I will never forget those early days when he first began campaigning for public office. I took him to South Carolina State University, where I had served as Student Government Association president. He sat in the president's box, met so many of the people who shaped my life, including my family and my brother, Kent, who would later become a South Carolina state senator.

From the very beginning, what impressed me most was not his political ambition but his life story. He spoke openly about losing both of his parents at such a young age and being raised by his older sister. There was a resilience about him that inspired everyone who met him.

Our family embraced him. My sister Mary Boyd welcomed him into her home, where we gathered around the dinner table, shared meals, laughed together, and listened as he talked about his dreams. He loved the law. He spoke passionately about his service in the Judge Advocate General's Corps. He talked about his faith in God, his love for South Carolina, and his unwavering devotion to serving his country.

When Lindsey first ran for office, we held one of his earliest fundraisers on our family farm. Looking back now, those moments seem even more precious. None........

© Townhall