I was saddened to learn of the passing of Katja Bullock, a friend and former colleague of mine and a legend in Republican politics. I got to know Katja well during my time as secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under President Donald Trump . Katja initially ran the White House Office of Presidential Personnel, which coordinated all the hiring and staffing decisions for the agency. We interacted often, and she always struck me as an individual with grace, wisdom, and an enduring dedication to the values that make America great.

Katja’s life and accomplishments offer us an example of hard work, dedication, and love of country. Katja came to America as an immigrant after being born and raised in Germany. She quickly grew to love all that America had to offer. Her youth, and particularly observing the Cold War that divided Germany, offered her a firsthand look at how quickly socialism can grow into tyranny. It also gave her a deep and abiding appreciation for America’s system of liberty under law.

Katja began her career in politics as a volunteer for Ronald Reagan’s presidential campaign and worked her way up, where she ended up managing personnel for Reagan’s administration. She performed that same role under President George H.W. Bush, worked for President George W. Bush, and later returned to service under Trump. In these roles, Katja was responsible for all the hiring and placement of every political appointee in the administration across every executive agency. The importance of such a role cannot be overstated — as Reagan said, "Personnel is policy," and Katja did a wonderful job ensuring that the people she brought on board aligned with the president’s agenda.

Katja’s life serves as a testimony to the power of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. She hit on this a bit in an interview she generously agreed to do for my organization, the American Cornerstone Institute. She encouraged young people to stay on the straight and narrow, keep their heads down and their chins up, and work hard to make a positive impact.

To Katja, the life of public service was a noble calling. Her love for freedom and our constitutional system of government led her to a life of service because she knew she had a duty to defend them. She truly lived the "American dream," growing up with the specter of tyranny at her doorstep, immigrating to the land of opportunity, beginning as a volunteer, and rising to the top through her hard work and determination. She saw firsthand the dangers of tyranny, and she knew that she had to do everything in her power to keep that from coming here.

All Americans should look to Katja’s story and draw inspiration from it. It is a sad day for our nation to lose her, but we can take solace that her life story will inspire generations of public servants to come.

Dr. Ben Carson serves as the founder and chairman of the  American Cornerstone Institute .