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jimmy carter

Friendship

Why Jimmy Carter allowed a convicted felon to nanny his children in the White House

The Carters knew her before he became president.

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Jimmy Carter allows convicted felon to nanny in White House

President Jimmy Carter is often known for his kind nature. Carter focused heavily on diplomatic solutions to problems during his presidency and seemed to take great care on issues that impacted American citizens. He and his late wife Rosalynn Carter even built homes with Habitat for Humanity well into their 90s. Since the former president passed away December 29, people have been reminiscing on his legacy of kindness with one of the stories being about the Carters' fight to employ a convicted felon as a nanny.

Before Carter was president he served as the governor of Georgia, which is where he and Rosalynn met Mary Prince Fitzpatrick, an inmate convicted of murder. The woman, who later returned to her maiden name, was working on an inmate release program when she became a nanny for the Carters' youngest child, Amy.

As the small family got to know Prince, they found that she was wrongly convicted of the serious crime based on seemingly inadequate legal representation. Rosalynn details in her 1984 memoir that Prince's court appointed attorney "persuaded her to plead guilty to a murder she hadn’t committed. She was young, Black and penniless, so she did as he told her and got a life sentence in prison.”

File:Amy Carter playing on the White House grounds with Mary ...commons.wikimedia.org

According to an interview with People in 1977, Prince was out on the town with her cousin who got into an argument with another woman and pulled out a gun. Prince says she attempted to wrestle the gun away from the two women when the firearm went off, killing the male companion of the woman her cousin was in an altercation with. She fully denies anything intentional and claims to have believed the plea she was signing was for involuntary manslaughter.

Prince worked for Jimmy and Rosalynn the entire time they were in the governor's mansion becoming close with the family. So much so that Amy reportedly screamed when Prince had to return to prison unable to move to the White House with them. Prince was left to face a life sentence for a crime in which she was wrongly convicted. This was the catalyst for the Carters push for Prince to come to D.C. and for her case to be reexamined.

File:Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter kissing at the Democratic National ...commons.wikimedia.org

The nanny explains to People, "When I left Amy really screamed. Later Mrs. Carter would come and see me at the Fulton County Jail and the Atlanta Work Release Center, where I went as a cook in 1975.”

After being faced with leaving their beloved nanny behind, fully believing in her innocence, Jimmy formally requested to be assigned as her parole officer after Rosalynn petitioned for her release. The parole board agreed which allowed Prince to move to D.C. to continue working, this time at the White House. Once the Carters' finished their time in D.C., the family resettled back in their hometown in Plains, Georgia and Prince moved just a few blocks away continuing to care for the Carters children and grandchildren.

This story of fierce advocacy and kindness is making the rounds on social media with people in awe of the kind of people the Carters were.

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One person shares, "The Carters are EASILY the best humans that’ve ever held those positions. What a dreadful birthday “present”, absolutely crushing, even after such an amazing life."

"Jimmy Carter was a real one, he was one of the only Christians I've ever seen walk the walk," another says.

"The more I find out about him the more I love him," someone else writes.

Prince was eventually exonerated of her charges when the case was reviewed and remained close with the Carters for the remainder of their lives.

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Democracy

Viral photo of an ailing Jimmy Carter turns into an outburst of gratitude for ex-president

"I love that he built homes for habitat for humanity until he literally couldn't lift a hammer."

via Commonwealth Club/Wikimedia Commons

Former president Jimmy Carter at the Commonwealth Club in California.

Former President Jimmy Carter, 99, is known for being a man of tremendous character who rose from a humble Georgia peanut farmer to president of the United States. He was elected in 1976 when America was reeling from the Watergate scandal and turned its eyes to an outsider with integrity.

Carter, a Democrat, served as president from 1977 to 1981, when Republican Ronald Reagan defeated him. After his presidency, he dedicated his life to public service, exemplified by his humanitarian work through the Carter Center, which focused on global health, democracy and human rights.

On Tuesday, March 14, Carter's grandson, Jason Carter, announced that the former president was “coming to the end” of his life in a statement made at the Carter Center. The 39th president has been under hospice care since February 2023 and in November, he lost his wife, Rosalynn, at the age of 96.

“(My grandfather) is doing OK,” Jason Carter said at a mental health forum at the Carter Center. “He has been in hospice, as you know, for almost a year and a half now, and he really is, I think, coming to the end that, as I’ve said before, there’s a part of this faith journey that is so important to him, and there’s a part of that faith journey that you only can live at the very end and I think he has been there in that space.”

Former president Jimmy Carter
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News of Carter’s decline inspired people on Reddit to share a photo of him taken at his wife’s funeral at Maranatha Baptist Church, on November 29, 2023, in Plains, Georgia. In the photo, the once vibrant man is seen in a wheelchair, looking frail and wearing a suit.

Even though the photo of Carter isn’t flattering, it’s a testament to his stamina that propelled him to serve his community and the world until deep into his 90s. Commenters used the post as an opportunity to lavish their praise on a man who’s often referred to as the greatest ex-president one of the most decent men to ever hold the office.

"Interesting fact: Jimmy Carter has been alive through 40% of the whole US history" — Dacadey

"I love that he built homes for habitat for humanity until he literally couldn't lift a hammer." — Chester7833

"A true life of service." — Faux Real

One commenter noted one of Carter’s greatest achievements was working to eradicate Guinea worm. “His work with the eradication of the guinea worm saves countless lives from unnecessary pain and scarring. And he never asked any recognition for it,” Press465 wrote.

Forty years ago, 3.5 million cases of Guinea worm were reported annually, but thanks to the work of Carter’s team, there were only 13 in 2022. The disease, caused by parasitic worms that can grow up to 3 feet, causes severe skin lesions, debilitating those infected and causing extensive absences from school or work. By establishing educational programs on the risks of infection, primarily spread through contaminated water, Carter's team helped its eradication in several countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"I came to the conclusion a while ago that he's the one president at least in ‘modern’ times that was too good of a person for the office." — RevengencerAlf

"I find it amazing that when he was beaten for a second term, people were putting down the solar panels he had, putting him down as ineffective (although he did get hostages back) and so on. And today's voters see him as fantastic. He did everything he was supposed to - put his peanut company in a trust (?) So he had no control of it, chose to negotiate, was forward thinking with technology (solar panels), and he by far has had the best after-presidency career with Habitat for Humanity. He's just a good, honest guy who has done his best to give back and I find that to be truly remarkable." — Estrogen

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Joy

Jimmy Carter's former talent handler shares a sweet story about him meeting a young girl

The way Carter interacted with the second grader exemplifies the 99-year-old former president's genuine care and kindness.

Commonwealth Club from San Francisco, San Jose, United States

Jimmy Carter has grown to become one of the most beloved former presidents in history.

Jimmy Carter turned 99 years old on October 1, 2023, with people from around the world paying tribute to the longest-living former president. Carter has been in hospice for the past 7 months, and as he nears the end of his long life, people are sharing their personal stories involving the man known for his decades of humanitarian, peace-building work after leaving the White House.

One story comes from Noel Casler, a comedian and talent handler who has worked with many celebrities and public figures. He took to X (formerly Twitter) to share an encounter he witnessed between Jimmy Carter and a young girl at the Goodwill Games.

"When I was Prez Carter’s talent handler it was the Goodwill Games in NYC. When Carter arrived I was to take him to [the] stage to join Ted Turner, Gov Pataki, Gerald Levin & Giuliani to kick off the event," he began.

On their way to the stage, Casler shared, a young girl who was a standout inner-city school student in around the second grade approached President Carter to say hello.

"You would have thought the world stopped for Jimmy Carter," Casler wrote. "He knelt down to look her in the eyes and began a long series of questions about the subjects she was studying, what her favorites were." When she said math and science were her among her favorites, Carter "lit up."

But what showcases Carter's caring personality is the way he treated her.

"He smiled and acted as if she was the only person there," Casler explained. "The thing is he didn't talk to her like she was a kid. There wasn't condescension of any air of I'm an ex-Prez wan a pic to show off."

"It was one man talking to the future generations and coming from a place of deep empathy, compassion and care for how we leave this planet and the lives of those upon it. Faith in action."

Casler wrote that he got nervous when they started calling for Carter to head to the stage, but the former president was "chill."

People frequently cite Carter's humility and compassion for others as highlights of his post-presidency legacy, and this interaction showcases those qualities beautifully.

Casler also expounded on Carter's ability to talk to anyone with ease.

"I’ve seen him on other occasions speak with full authority on the magic of Chuck Leavell’s left hand & hanging with the Allman Brothers. Carter is a renaissance man if ever there was one but his greatest gift is the example of how he lives in life," he wrote. "Happy 99th President Carter."

People loved reading this simple, personal story about a man who will leave the world with many such examples of his care and attention to whoever was in front of him.

"This is such a wonderful thread about a very special, compassionate man," wrote Nancy Sinatra. "Thank you, Noel. Thank you."

"Exactly who Jimmy Carter is," shared Jody Dean. "Once interviewed him and Ernie Banks on the same day. President Carter sat before Banks in our green room, listening to Ernie in rapt attention. An 8-year-old with a signed Ernie Banks baseball card could not have beamed more brightly."

"Jimmy Carter is the best human being to ever be president and it was honestly mean of us to make him do that," wrote Hunter Felt.

"Thank you, Noel, for this heartrending tribute. Carter is a jewel and remembering him always lifts my sagging spirits." shared Marina Margetts.

Happy 99th, Jimmy Carter, the former U.S. president whose legacy of human kindness and compassion will endure long after he leaves us.

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Joy

Jimmy Carter has had many accomplishments, but nearly eradicating Guinea worm may be his greatest

It was a problem no one would touch.

via Wikimedia Commons

Jimmy Carter at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, California

In 2015, former president Jimmy Carter held a press conference where he laid out a goal for the rest of his time on Earth. "I would like to see Guinea worm completely eradicated before I die," Carter said. "I'd like for the last Guinea worm to die before I do. I think right now, we have 11 cases. We started out with 3.6 million cases."

Now that Carter, 98, is in hospice, spending his final days at home with his family, he probably won’t achieve his goal. But his herculean efforts at abolishing the deadly worm will be ranked among his most significant achievements as a politician and humanitarian over his extraordinary life.

When the Carter Center took the lead on an international campaign to eradicate the Guinea worm in 1986, there were 3.5 million cases in 21 countries across Africa and Asia. In 2022, only 13 cases were reported worldwide, a 99.99% decrease. If the Guinea worm disease is completely eradicated, it would only be the second eradicated human disease in history, following smallpox.

Carter and his wife celebrated a record low in cases last year.

“Rosalynn and I are pleased with this continued advance toward eradicating Guinea worm disease,” President Carter said. “Our partners, especially those in the affected villages, work with us daily to rid the world of this scourge. We are heartened that eradication can be achieved soon.”

After Carter left the White House in 1981, he went on a mission to fight “neglected” diseases in far-off places that most Americans would never have to worry about. He set his sights on conditions such as lymphatic filariasis, trachoma, river blindness, and schistosomiasis.

His former drug czar Peter Borne brought Guinea worm to his attention. Borne approached the Carter Center because no one else would touch the problem.

Guinea worm is also known as dracunculiasis which means “affliction with little dragons” in Latin. About a year after infection, the worms grow to three feet long, and the females prepare to give birth by making their way to a place right below the skin, causing painful blisters.

Eventually, the blisters burst and the mother burrows her way out, causing incredible pain.

To ease the pain, people often submerge the affected area in water, causing tens of thousands of baby worms to release in the water, where they will eventually find a host. Guinea worm can also cause fever, swelling and secondary infections like sepsis. Guinea worm causes significant hardships for families by rendering people unable to work or attend school.

“It’s an audacious and mind-boggling idea,” said Emily Staub, press liaison to health programs for the Carter Center, according to CNN. “I’m not just talking about just him. I’m talking about a whole bunch of people with the Carter Center that decided that they were going to eradicate a disease that has no vaccine, no immunity, no medication. It’s thousands of years old and has a one-year incubation. The odds are totally stacked against you. And the people that suffer from it speak thousands of different languages, and some have never had outsiders interact with them.”

jimmy carter, commonwealth club, carter center

Jimmy Carter at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, California

via Wikimedia Commons

But Carter persisted, creating countless partnerships with leaders around the globe to educate people about the worm, provide tools for clean water and prevent its spread in the animal population. "Guinea worm disease has no cure, no vaccination, basically the entire eradication effort is built on behavior change,” Kelly Callahan, a public health worker who partnered with the Carter Center, told NPR.

Thirty-seven years after the Carter Center started on the audacious task of eradicating Guinea worm, the WHO has certified that 200 countries are free of the disease, meaning they've had zero instances of transmission in three years. Only six countries have yet to be certified as disease-free.

Jimmy Carter set a nearly impossible task, but with dogged persistence and the ability to make partnerships with people worldwide, many of whom have had little contact with the outside, he has helped save millions upon millions of people from incredible suffering.

In the coming days, people will celebrate many of Carter’s accomplishments. Let’s be sure that no one forgets to mention a success he’d rank among his proudest.

“We were traveling in a big motorcade,” he said in 2017. “We were driving along, and elementary school children had a big sign that says, ‘Watch out, Guinea worm. Here comes Jimmy Carter.’ That was almost as good as a Nobel Prize for me.”

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