MLB Legend Hank Aaron Mourns Death Of U.S. Rep. John Lewis In Statement

Hank Aaron, like many Americans, is mourning the loss of United States representative John Lewis, who died Friday night at age 80.

But unlike most citizens, Aaron says he had a special bond with the late Georgia politician. The Major League Baseball legend briefly detailed their relationship in a message honoring the civil rights icon.

“John and I connected to the roots,” Aaron wrote Saturday. “By that I mean we were born and grew up in the highly racist and segregated south, in the state of Alabama, He committed his life to the struggle for justice and equality for all people. He was one of the great civil rights icons and led a life of service for the betterment of all mankind. We have lost a giant of a man.”

Lewis died Saturday after a six-month battle with pancreatic cancer.