ROCHESTER (KTTC) -- The community is in shock after the death of Rochester City Council President Dennis Hanson.
He died on Wednesday afternoon after suffering a brain aneurysm earlier that morning.
He was 57 years old.
"Denny was a champion for the city of Rochester," said Mark Bilderback, a fellow council member and friend.
Bilderback remembers the first time he met Hanson.
"He's a neighbor of Ed Hruska and helped Ed on his first campaign back in the mid 90s and so I've known Denny ever since back then," Bilderback said.
Hanson was the one that encouraged Bilderback to run for Rochester City Council.
"It's going to be really weird. Denny was the one that caused me to want to run again. Denny's the one that caused me to want to be more involved. I had that desire but if anybody built that fire, it was Denny," Bilderback said.
Hanson was sworn in to city council to represent the 1st ward of Rochester in 1999 and was then elected president in 2004.
Bilderback says Hanson served as a big brother type to many city leaders, including himself.
Bilderback went on to say, "He would always be encouraging because he knew it was important that we be on top of our game to make the best decision for the city... as people will tell you, he loved Rochester."
Born and raised in Rochester, he not only loved the city but his family.
He leaves behind a wife, six children, and six grandchildren.
