The Nevada State Senate and State Assembly honored Assemblyman Tyrone Thompson Monday, after Thompson passed away suddenly Saturday morning.
He was appointed to the Assembly in 2013, and won re-election three times. He was 51.
"I just landed [in Las Vegas] on Friday evening," Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford says. "I got a message that Tyrone was in the hospital, the ICU. So I immediately booked a flight for Saturday morning to try to get back up to Carson City to be with him to offer prayers and consolation. And before I could make it back up to Carson City, 1:30 or so in the morning, we got the news about him."
Ford worked with Thompson for years in the Nevada legislature, but he actually met Thompson about 12 years ago.
"We went to the same church," Ford says. "He ushered me to my third pew on the left, me and my wife and our kids, and this was before he was an assemblyman. And I remember when he put his name in the hat to be appointed to the assembly, I was immediately glad about that, because I knew he would be a fantastic servant for the state. The way he served us in church, the way he showed his demeanor, his love for those who he was serving. I knew he would bring that type of passion to the assembly."
In the Assembly, there's a display of flowers and Dr. Seuss memorabilia decorating his seat. Assemblywoman Theresa Benitez-Thompson says she saw him every morning because they were on the Ways and Means committee together, and always enjoyed their conversations before hearings.
"He always greeted you with a smile," Benitez-Thomson says. "He always had something that would brighten your day, a comment or a quote. And he just was kind of this little piece of joy that, regardless of what was happening in the building, there was Tyrone with a great big smile."
During his time in the Assembly, Thompson championed issues involving children and people in need.
"He always wanted to work on mentoring," Ford says. "We passed a bill last session that curated an office for mentoring. We should name that office after him if you ask me."
"He's worried about homeless youth, he's worried about all homeless folks, he's worried about kids in foster care," Benitez-Thompson says. "He's always in the right place he's always coming from the right place."
"He used to tell me about counting the homeless," Ford says. "And would share with me stories about his job doing that and share with me information that I never would've known. For example, a lot of homeless people lived on top of buildings."
"He worked on the important things for people who didn't always have a voice," State Senator Julia Ratti says. "And he did it with such class and dignity that he's a great example for us all."
They also praised Thompson's work on education. He was the chair of the education committee.
While he fought for people who needed to be heard, when he did the fighting, it was always in good faith.
"He could be on the other side of an issue but still be cordial," Ford says. "And removing the bickering was part of the special talent that he had and I'll remember that as well."
A written statement by Assembly Minority Leader Jim Wheeler says in part, "Assemblyman Thompson was one of the kindest and most thoughtful people I have ever had the honor to serve with in the Assembly."
A written statement by the Senate Republican Caucus reads in part, "His efforts to provide mentors and role models to the community’s youth were unmatched – he was the best mentor among them."
There are no details regarding a public memorial service honoring Assemblyman Thompson at this time.
