ATLANTA — Since the news of former President Jimmy Carter entering hospice over the weekend, people have been visiting the Carter Center in northeast Atlanta.
And there is no better place to be reminded of all the former president and his wife Rosalynn have done.
Channel 2′s Bryan Mims went out to the center on Monday where he found people gathered around the sculpture of Carter to take photographs.
Kathleen Fronczak strolled the grounds with her friends. They’re visiting Atlanta from Chicago.
She had never been to the Carter Center, but she has long admired the man who founded it -- and for whom it is named.
“The epitome of a man of service. Absolutely. I mean, right? Navy man, served his family, served his country,” Froczak said.
Jimmy Carter was president before she was born.
She felt a duty to visit this place, in his beloved home state, to show gratitude for his service in the White House and well beyond.
RELATED STORIES:
- Georgia leaders send thoughts, prayers to Jimmy Carter as former president enters hospice care
- ‘He is very humble:’ Former lawmakers discuss how Jimmy Carter used his platform for good
- Carter Center officials encourage admirers of former president to send personal messages
- Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter: an enduring love story
“The best ex-president we’ve ever had. And I think what every ex-president should aspire to,” Froczak said.
Among others strolling the grounds and reflecting, was Keith Brown.
He lives in Atlanta. This too was his first visit to the Carter Center.
He was young during the Carter presidency but remembers how proud he was to see a man from Georgia in the Oval Office.
“Ever since then, I’ve been proud of how he’s done the humanitarian work and always made our state look good. And nobody ever could say anything bad about him,” Brown said.
Chris Martin told Mims that she strolls the grounds of the Carter Center nearly every day. She said the legacy of the man now shines brighter than ever in this place.
“It’s very sad. I mean, the legacy of the Carter Center is immense. And I hope that the work will continue, and his legacy will extend far beyond his lifetime,” Martin said.
The Carter Center is usually open from Tuesday to Saturday, but it was open Monday for four hours, free of charge, and on President’s Day.
RELATED NEWS:
©2023 Cox Media Group
