Over the weekend, we learned that Rosalind Carter, former first lady of the United States, passed away in Plains, Georgia. She is a remarkable reminder of decency in America. [00:00:15] Full disclosure, I work as a senior advisor to the Carter center, very blessed by the work they continue to do globally. When President Carter talks about his wife, you always see him reminisce. [00:00:31] It's actually a very happy and touching moment every time there's part of it. >> Speaker 2: Hello, President Carter, Karen Greer, CBS 46 NEWS. And just wondering, you touched upon it a little bit in your illustrious career. As you said, governor here, president, even as husband, father, grandfather, [00:00:50] is there anything or tell us, share with us what you're most proud of and if there's anything you might have done differently or thought maybe, I wish I had not done that. >> Speaker 3: Well, the best thing I ever did was marrying Roselyn. [00:01:05] That's a pinnacle of my life. And we've had 69 years together still together. So that's the best thing that happened to me, but I think getting involved in politics and going up as a state senator, [00:01:21] then governor and president of the United States is obviously a glorious event. And we have a growing family. We have 22 grandchildren and great grandchildren, 12 grandchildren and ten great grandchildren now, and they come in every year [LAUGH]. [00:01:39] So we have a good and harmonious family. And I would say the haven for our lives has been in Plains, Georgia. I plan to teach Sunday school this Sunday and every Sunday as long as I'm physically and mentally able in my little church. [00:01:56] And we have hundreds of visitors who come to see the curiosity of a politician teaching the Bible. So I'll continue that, so I've just had a lot of blessings today. >> Speaker 1: On my radio show, we did a tribute to Mrs. Carter. [00:02:13] We had individuals from the Carter center where she's co-founder of the NGO call In, talk about her life, her legacy, her willingness to engage. We also had a staff meeting this morning, and one of my colleagues shared [00:02:31] how Rosalind Carter was the one who always wanted to make sure she touched everybody, that she hugged everyone, that she had an opportunity to engage. And I found this clip way back where you see that sentiment clearly, here it is. [00:02:50] >> [APPLAUSE] >> Speaker 4: Thank you very much and it is wonderful to be here with you again [COUGH]. I see so many familiar faces in the audience, I just want to stop and [00:03:08] speak to every single one of you. If you had a receiving line, if I had time, because that's what I like to do. But I'm afraid that today I'd just be able to speak to some of you as I go out up and down the aisles. But know that I care for every one of you. You've meant so much to Jimmy and to me over the years, and [00:03:26] you are the reason that Jimmy Carter is president today. And we thank you from the bottom of our heart. >> [APPLAUSE] >> Speaker 1: On the campaign trail, she was called the secret weapon. She went to 40 states herself, campaigning on behalf of President Carter. [00:03:42] She also transformed mental health advocacy in the United States of America, transforming the very laws that govern mental health in America today. She has always been a mental health activist and [00:03:57] humanitarian in every sense of the word. Ernie Suggs, S-U-G-G-S writer editor for the Atlanta Journal Constitution, in their culture and race division, just a few hours ago wrote this amazing article about how Mrs. [00:04:17] Carter transformed mental health law in the United States of America. Per the Hill, former first Lady Rosalind Carter, wife of former President Jimmy Carter, died Sunday afternoon. She was 96 years of age, the Carter center said in the statement. [00:04:35] The former first lady passed away just after 2PM on Sunday at her home in Plains, Georgia, about two days after she entered hospice care. Quote, Rosalind was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished, [00:04:51] President Carter said in the statement. She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, always knew somebody loved and supported me. The Carters marked their 77th wedding anniversary in July. [00:05:09] As of 2021, actually, their marriage became the longest for a first couple in US history, surpassing former President George H W Bush, Barbara Bush's 73 years of marriage. Besides being a loving mother and extraordinary first lady, [00:05:26] my mother was a great humanitarian in her own right, wrote Chip Carter, her son, in a statement. Quote, her life of service and compassion was an example for all Americans. She will be sorely missed, not only by our family, but by the many who have better mental health care and [00:05:45] access to resources for caregiving today. All right, obviously, our thoughts, prayers and positive vibrations are with the Carter family. This is never something easy and while people say, well, you can prepare, [00:06:00] you really cannot, not for somebody to mean so much to you. All right, Wosny I'm struck by how decent she was all the way through wanting to help other people in comparison to where we are now in politics. [00:06:20] >> Speaker 5: You literally just took the words right out of my mouth, watching you so beautifully and eloquently speak on the former first lady's life. Just the concept of a civil servant, the idea that you [00:06:35] would go to work on behalf of other people in their betterment. Just look at some of the clown shows we got going on in Washington today. The idea that these people think that they're working on behalf of anybody who [00:06:54] isn't themselves or their family members and their own personal enrichment. I don't think they share that sentiment. And so to reflect on somebody who's so, that idea, again, that you would go to work every day on behalf of the betterment of [00:07:11] other people in your society, I think is an incredible example. And obviously, the former first lady will be missed. >> Speaker 1: Very well said.