Delta Air Lines has paid tribute to former President Jimmy Carter, who died on Sunday, with a video celebrating his warmth and affection for everyday Americans.
On X, formerly Twitter, the airline posted footage of Carter shaking hands with passengers on one of its planes before taking his seat. The clip was originally shared in June 2017 by Delta passenger James Parker Sheffield.
"Every time Jimmy Carter flew Delta, he shook hands with each person on the plane. Because that's who he was. Someone who treated people as people," Delta wrote in the video's caption.
Why It Matters
Carter, who was 100 when he died at his home in Plains, Georgia, was the 39th U.S. president, occupying the White House between 1977 and 1981.
He was the oldest former president in U.S. history and spent much of his time after leaving politics building a legacy of bringing peace to the world and fostering democracy. In the wake of his death, many individuals and institutions are reflecting on that legacy.
What To Know
After losing his bid for reelection to Ronald Reagan in 1980, Carter established the Carter Center, a nongovernmental, nonprofit organization with a mission of advancing human rights and alleviating human suffering, and offered his wisdom to sitting presidents.
A former peanut farmer in Georgia before reaching the White House, Carter has often been considered a man of the people and someone who stayed true, until the end, to his strong religious values.
In 2002, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his decades of work trying to stop conflicts around the world.
What People Are Saying
G. K. Riggen commented on Delta's post: "I was once on a flight from Amsterdam back to the US when—to our surprise—President Carter boarded the plane. He did, indeed, walk through the plane, shaking hands with every single person onboard. I was thrilled to have had the honor of meeting him."
Eileen Johnson commented on Delta's post: "My sister-in-law got to shake his hand on an airplane. It was wonderful for her to be able to tell that story today, after his death, so all the little cousins could understand what kind of man he was."
Delta Air Lines wrote on X: "Today we celebrate his life—a great friend, family man, Nobel Peace Prize winner and leader who showed us all how to properly treat those around us. Rest in peace, Mr. President. Your legacy lives on."
True. I was once on a flight from Amsterdam back to the US when — to our surprise — President Carter boarded the plane. He did, indeed, walk through the plane, shaking hands with every single person onboard. I was thrilled to have had the honor of meeting him.
— Bishop G. K. Riggen (@GregoryRiggen) December 30, 2024What Happens Next
Carter's state funeral is scheduled for January 9. He is expected to then be buried in his hometown of Plains next to his wife, former first lady Rosalynn Carter, who died in November 2023.
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