The long goodbye for Jimmy Carter, the 39th U.S. president, began on Saturday in his beloved hometown of Plains, Georgia, where his extraordinary life started over 100 years ago. The motorcade carrying Carter’s flag-draped casket began its solemn journey at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, with former Secret Service agents who protected the former president serving as pallbearers, walking alongside the hearse as it left the campus. This poignant procession marked the beginning of a journey that would take Carter through the town of Plains and past his childhood home before continuing on to Atlanta.
Carter passed away at his home in Plains on December 29 at the age of 100. His family, including four children and many grandchildren, accompanied his casket on the emotional journey. As the motorcade passed through downtown Plains, many residents lined the streets, some carrying flowers or wearing commemorative pins bearing Carter’s photo. Young and old alike came to pay their respects, including 12-year-old Will Porter Shelbrock, who traveled from Gainesville, Florida, with his grandmother to witness the beginning of Carter’s final journey. Shelbrock, born more than three decades after Carter left the White House, praised the former president for his humanitarian efforts and peace initiatives, as well as his groundbreaking work installing solar panels at the White House.
Carter, who had spent much of his life in Plains, except for his time in the Navy, as Georgia’s governor, and as president, will make several stops during the procession. The first stop will be in front of his boyhood home on the family farm just outside of Plains. Here, the National Park Service will ring the old farm bell 39 times, honoring Carter’s role as the 39th president. His remains will then travel to Atlanta, where a moment of silence will be observed in front of the Georgia Capitol, followed by a ceremony at the Carter Presidential Center.
From Atlanta, Carter’s body will be transported to Washington, where he will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol. His state funeral will be held on Thursday at Washington National Cathedral. Afterward, Carter will be returned to Plains for an invitation-only service at Maranatha Baptist Church. He will be laid to rest next to his wife, Rosalynn, who passed away in November 2023.
As the nation prepares for these final ceremonies, Jimmy Carter’s legacy is being honored by people of all ages, from those who knew him personally to those who admire his dedication to peace, humanitarian causes, and environmental efforts. The outpouring of tributes speaks to the lasting impact of Carter’s work both in the U.S. and globally.
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