Observers of former President Jimmy Carter's funeral paid their respects Saturday to the late leader who was "ahead of his time," according to a 12-year-old mourner who spoke with the Associated Press.
Newsweek reached out to The Carter Center via email for comment Saturday evening.
Why It Matters
Carter, the 39th president of the United States, died last Sunday at his home in Plains, Georgia, at the age of 100. He was the longest-living president in U.S. history. He is survived by his children, Jack, Chip, Jeff, and Amy, 11 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren.
His wife, former first lady Rosalynn Carter, passed away in November 2023. She was buried in Plains where Carter will rest in peace next to her.
What To Know
Carter's six-day state funeral commenced Saturday morning as members of the Carter family arrived at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia. The late president's remains were carried into a hearse and a motorcade proceeded through Plains.
Observers were seen holding bouquets of flowers and wearing pins with images of Carter. One person held signs that read, "President Carter, A Man Of Honor!" and "Thank you, President Carter!"
Will Porter Shelbrock, just 12 years old, decided to travel from Gainesville, Florida, to Plains with his grandmother.
"We want to pay our respects," he told the AP. "He was ahead of his time on what he tried to do and tried to accomplish."
Shelbrock, born over three decades after Carter's term, from 1977 to 1981, said he admired Carter's humanitarian work and his acknowledgment of a warming planet before the climate crisis was part of regular political discourse.
Willie Browner, who grew up in the nearby town of Parrott, Georgia, and later moved to Miami, told the AP of Carter, "This man, he thought of more than just himself."
The 75-year-old said it meant "a great deal" to have a president from a small Southern town like his, but he worries something like that will probably not happen again.
To look at photos of Carter's funeral, click here.
Jimmy Carter's Legacy
Carter, a peanut farmer and Navy man, was a breath of fresh air after the Watergate Scandal during former President Richard Nixon's administration. While he made big strides in peace-making abroad with the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel, he struggled at home with an energy crisis. The Iranian hostage crisis, in which dozens of Americans were taken hostage for 444 days, all but sealed his fate as a one-term president.
Carter is known as the best former president in U.S. history for his work at The Carter Center, created in 1982, with his wife and their work at Habitat for Humanity.
The former president was recognized "for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development" with the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.
Carter's Funeral Route
Carter will be remembered and celebrated at a series of different events in Georgia and the country's capital, Washington, D.C.
The late president's motorcade proceeded through Plains and briefly stopped at his family's farm in Archery, Georgia. The National Park Service commemorated Carter's life with a salute and rang the farm's bell 39 times.
What People Are Saying
Chip Carter, Jimmy and Rosalynn's second eldest son who is now 72 years old, said in a December 29 statement released by The Carter Center: "My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love. My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs."
President Joe Biden said in a December 29 statement: "I do further appoint January 9, 2025, as a National Day of Mourning throughout the United States. I call on the American people to assemble on that day in their respective places of worship, there to pay homage to the memory of President James Earl Carter, Jr. I invite the people of the world who share our grief to join us in this solemn observance."
President-elect Donald Trump on Truth Social on December 29: "The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans," he posted on Truth Social. "For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude. Melania and I are thinking warmly of the Carter Family and their loved ones during this difficult time. We urge everyone to keep them in their hearts and prayers."
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said in a December 29 statement: "As the only American president thus far to come from Georgia, he showed the world the impact our state and its people have on the country. And as a son of Plains, he always valued Georgians and the virtues of our state, choosing to return to his rural home after his time in public office."
What Happens Next
The White House has announced that Carter will be honored with a National Day of Mourning on January 9, the final day of services. The American flag will continue to be flown at half-staff until January 28, meaning that it will be flown at half-staff on President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration roughly two weeks from now.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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