The Remarkable Life of Andy Hoffman

I first met Andy Hoffman at a chili cook off in Butte, Nebraska, in October of 2004.

I was running for my first term in the Nebraska Legislature. I was walking from group to group, talking with the cooks and tasting their chili, when I came upon a young man in jean overalls. I introduced myself, and we ended up talking for over 30 minutes.

Actually, it would be more accurate to say he “grilled” me for over 30 minutes with a smile on his face. He was kind, and he later became a supporter and a dear friend.

We stayed in touch during my eight years in the Unicameral. Never one to keep str...