The Carter Center is inviting the public to send messages of peace and comfort to President Carter and his family via an online portal, and the response has been overwhelming. As of 2 p.m. Tuesday (Feb. 21), more than 7,919 messages had been published, with waves of them continuing to arrive.
Mary Cullen’s sentiment was typical but eloquent in its brevity:
Dear President Carter,
You are the best of us. You always sought the best for our country, and for the world. I am incredibly grateful that you were our President. Thank you.
Katya Horner wrote:
President Carter,
Your life has mattered. Thank you for always leading from a place of compassion, fairness, and hope. May we all find sanctuary in and inspiration from the goodness you have spread.
Praying for you and your family.
G.M. Pike-McGehee expressed gratitude not only to President Carter, but also to his family:
Dear Mr. President,
You walked the walk, lifting people up along the way to walk with you, beside you. One hand reaching out to help can become many hands reaching out to make the world a better place for everyone. Thank you for lighting the way.
To the Carter Family,
Thank you for sharing your husband and father with us. Thank you for being his strength, so he could be strong for us.
Peri Jetton-Buckley wrote about a time when President Carter showed a special kindness to a child:
The first time I was able to vote I voted for President Carter. I have long admired his positive attitude and his charitable spirit. I’m praying for his family now and praying for a smooth transition to heaven.
A message from my daughter Nikki:
I got lost at The Carter Center on a field trip trying to find the bathroom, and he was about to speak and surrounded by men in black suits and I was crying, and he came up to me and held my hand and walked me into the theater area he was speaking in. He seemed like a nice man.
Other people recalled encountering President and Mrs. Carter on airplanes and in public spaces.
One was Rebecca A. Nelson:
Good day, Mr. President Carter and Mrs. First-Lady Carter.
You have been an inspiration to me for many years. I grew up in Atlanta and loved history. I have always dreamed of working for the Carter Center or Atlanta History Center. Your book, “An Hour Before Daylight,” is one of my all-time favorites. I’ve written about its impact on my life. (It’s also one book I cried as I neared the end because I wanted to keep reading.)
When I was 16 years old, my family was celebrating my friend’s 18th birthday at a restaurant called The Spaghetti Warehouse in Marietta, GA. My friend’s mother recognized you and called “President Carter!” You walked over and greeted our table and wished my friend a happy birthday. Such a class act.
I pray for you and your family for peace, love, comfort, and fond memories during this time. Your life’s work is inspiring, and I know when the heavens call you, will be welcomed with wide arms.
Bless you sir and ma’am. So much respect.
Many messages came from people in other countries. Ayubu Madenge of Tanzania wrote:
Dear President Carter,
In 1977 you invited our president to the White House. Julius Nyerere became the first African leader to pay a state visit to your country after you were elected president. Together, you and he discussed global issues which were of great importance to Tanzanians. Mr. President, today I would like to assure you that your legacy still lingers in the hearts and memories of many Tanzanians. You'll forever be our very best friend.
Jane Liang expressed admiration as a naturalized U.S. citizen:
Dearest President Carter,
I came to the U.S. in the late 80s and have been learning about you ever since, following you on your books, history books, TV shows, news, YouTube … as if I know you. I was so excited watching you on one of Stephen Colbert’s shows when he asked you if you were going to run for president again. I voted for you for the past two elections, and people said I wasted my vote. I will keep voting for you, who I think is most qualified, until someone with your integrity, honesty, determination, humility, and humanity comes along.
You, your lovely wife, Rosalynn, and your entire family are in my prayers.
May God be with you!
Peter Maer, a former CBS News White House correspondent and Atlanta radio reporter, offered this sentiment:
It was an honor for me to cover President and Mrs. Carter from the time he was Georgia Governor to his White House years. I have so many memories from my time reporting on the governor's office for WSB Radio and later as I followed the Carters to Washington as a network correspondent. Wishing a time of peace for Mr. Carter and his family.
Many were simple and to the point, as this one from Deirdre illustrates:
Dear President Carter,
A thank you from my heart to yours...for offering your beautiful soul to the world. You made it a better place, and we are blessed by your kindness and presence in it.
Go with God ❤
President and Mrs. Carter, the Carter family, and The Carter Center are grateful for all the kind words. The message board remains open.
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