Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky announces the death of his wife Rhonda Massie

FRANKFORT, Kentucky (AP) — Rhonda Massie, the wife of U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, has died, the Kentucky congressman announced Friday in a moving social media tribute to his high school sweetheart and “love of my life.”

Neither Massie nor his staff immediately released details about the cause of death or her age.

“Yesterday my high school sweetheart, the love of my life for over 35 years, the loving mother of our 4 children, the smartest and kindest woman I have ever known, my beautiful and wise forever queen, Rhonda, passed away to heaven,” Massie wrote on the social platform X.

His social media posts included photos of the couple and their family. The congressman said the couple spent time with his grandson during a tour of Mount Rainier in Washington last week.

Massie wrote about his wife’s academic achievements and her devotion to her family.

“She was valedictorian of our high school, went to prom together, was accepted to MIT and Harvard, graduated from MIT with a degree in mechanical engineering, and devoted her life to our family,” he wrote.

MIT-educated Massie, a libertarian Republican who was first elected to Congress in 2012, easily defeated two Republican challengers in Kentucky’s primary in May. With no Democratic opponent in the fall, Massie’s primary victory paved the way for him to run again in November. His district spans northern Kentucky.

His wife’s death sparked an outpouring of condolences in Kentucky and beyond.

Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Barr of Kentucky said in a social media post that he was “deeply saddened” to hear of Rhonda Massie’s death. Barr experienced a similar tragedy four years ago when his wife, Eleanor Carol Leavell Barr, died. She was 39 years old.

“Rhonda’s warmth, kindness and devotion to her family and community touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing her,” Barr wrote Friday.

Senator from the State of Kentucky. John Schickel said his heart broke for the congressman and the couple’s children.

“Rhonda was a wonderful person and her loving marriage to Congressman Massie was one of the most beautiful you could imagine,” Schickel said. “They were high school sweethearts and college classmates. It was a true love story.”

The Kentucky Republican Party said in a statement that Rhonda Massie was “a wonderful mother, wife and Kentuckian. She touched everyone who knew her and we will miss her greatly.”