Dear Mr. President:
I was just 13 years old when you were elected to lead our nation. I still recall staying up until 3:30 in the morning, anticipating with bated breath until John Chancellor of NBC News announced the next President of the United States. I was elated.
Before your election, politics was a distant blur, a realm I barely understood. I was astonished to learn that Watergate was a hotel, not a dam. Your presidency marked the beginning of my awareness – a time when ideals and aspirations seemed boundless.
As an idealistic teenager, I believed we would eradicate hunger, end wars, and overcome civil unrest within my lifetime.
I imagined that by adulthood, the world would be more just, equitable, peaceful, and united. Glimmers of that optimism were realized with the fall of the Berlin Wall, the end of nuclear brinkmanship, and the dawn of the technological revolution, with PCs in nearly every home.
But now, decades later, on a cold winter night in Atlanta, I stood in silence at the Carter Center, where your body rested in repose. In that moment of reflection, I was struck by a profound realization of how much ground we’ve lost—in world peace, trust in leadership, racial harmony, and economic equality.
Carter encouraged Americans to take on insurmountable challenges
I met you in November 2015 when you were building a Habitat for Humanity home for Alicia Gilliam in Memphis. At 91, with the same compassion and service that have defined your life, you were not merely a figurehead but a participant – swinging a hammer and laying the foundation of hope.

You taught me that the solution to overwhelming global challenges often starts with micro-actions: build one house, eradicate one disease, and restore democracy in one fragile nation.
You are my hero, Mr. President, for your time in office and the enduring legacy of service, honesty, and humility you have created. You join a rare lineage of modern heroes – alongside Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Mother Teresa. Your name, too, will echo through history as a testament to what is possible when faith, integrity, and compassion guide a life.
Who says we can eliminate a disease globally? You did.
Who says we can nurture democracy in fledgling nations? You did.
Who says we can lead with honesty, kindness, and conviction? You did.
Opinion: President Jimmy Carter was a truthteller, teacher, and man of moral clarity
Republicans and Democrats alike, when they reflect on your legacy, will marvel at the depth of your service. You didn’t act out of self-interest or to court media attention. You acted because it was right – because it mattered. That rare quality, especially in politicians, is why you stand apart.
The 39th president was a visionary who was ahead of his time
Humility and honesty are etched in your DNA. You remained grounded from the peanut farm to the Naval Academy to the Oval Office. Your commitment to fighting disease and establishing free and fair elections in developing countries exemplified the belief that leadership transcends titles. You repeatedly declared, “I’ll never tell a lie.” And you never did—not to the American people, nor yourself.
We needed someone to trust during the national disillusionment after Watergate. You instilled that trust. You reminded us that morality in politics is not an oxymoron, and you lived out those principles daily.
In your life, you embraced simplicity with grace, showing the world that true fulfillment comes not from power but from purpose. Whether teaching Sunday school or working in fields, you demonstrated the quiet strength of contentment.
History may be unkind to your presidency, unfairly defined by crises beyond your control – the Iranian hostage crisis, the botched rescue mission due to a sandstorm, gas shortages, and inflation.
Yet even amid those challenges, you were a visionary, championing causes decades ahead of their time. You pioneered the Department of Energy, anticipating the climate crisis, constructing solar panels on the roof of the White House. You architected the Department of Education, recognizing the critical need to prioritize childhood learning in a competitive global landscape.
Our nation needs more leaders like you, Mr. President. Leaders who embody compassion, service, honesty, humility, and contentment. Leaders who remind us that politics can still have a heart and a soul.
Thank you for showing us what is possible. The world is better because of you; we are forever grateful for that.
Source: Commercial Appeal