John Jefferson
Americans traveled from all over the country on Wednesday to visit former President Jimmy Carter, who was lying in state at the U.S. Capitol, ahead of his funeral on Thursday.
A handful of visitors spoke with Fox News while waiting in line to view Carter’s casket – some knew him personally and others simply admired the late president.
Catherine, of nearby Gaithersburg, Maryland, said it was important that she pay her respects to Carter because he was inspirational in how he spent much of his life helping others.
“One of the reasons that I respect him is that he showed a lot of us older folks that when you retire, you don’t just stop working,” she said to Fox News’ Rich Edson. “You can use your resources, your experience to help other people, and that’s what I hope to do.”
AN ‘EXTRAORDINARY MAN’: FORMER PRESIDENT CARTER LIES IN STATE AT CAPITOL AHEAD OF STATE FUNERAL
Georgia native Riley Cagle said he made the trip to Washington, D.C., because Carter was a “dear friend of [her] family” and he wasn’t able to attend his funeral in the Peach State.
While Cagle didn’t know him personally, he said his aunt was one of Carter’s best friends and that she was in attendance when he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. His grandparents also knew Carter and had shared various “amazing” stories about him while he was growing up – such as his love for pineapple sandwiches.
“Man, they just don’t make them like him anymore,” Cagle said, adding that they didn’t “make them like him back then either.”
Natalie, another visitor from Maryland, said Carter was “the epitome of a faithful and humble servant” and congratulated him on a “job well done.”
JIMMY CARTER, 39TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DEAD AT 100
The respect for Carter transcended political lines as Ted McConnell, an employee of former President Gerald Ford’s 1976 campaign, was present at the Capitol on Wednesday.
“As you well know, President Ford and President Carter became compatriots and close friends after the presidency, so I’m supporting both President Ford and President Carter today,” said McConnell, who was even wearing a “Jimmy Carter for president” button.
McConnell said he appreciated all the humanitarian work Carter did all over the world and was “honored to honor him in his laying(sic) in state” on Wednesday.
Another man was in attendance with a similar “Jimmy for president” pin, but he actually volunteered to work on the late president’s campaign as a high schooler and attended Carter’s inauguration in 1977.
Eric Stromayer told Fox News’ Chad Pergram that the lines to view Carter’s casket were moving quickly and he encouraged “those who want to give a good send off to a highly regarded president, come down and seize the opportunity.”
Carter’s casket will be removed from the Rotunda at 9 a.m. on Thursday to be taken to the Washington National Cathedral ahead of his state funeral at 10 a.m.
His remains will then be flown to Georgia later in the day via Special Air Mission 39 for a private ceremony in his hometown of Plains.
Fox News’ Rich Edson and Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
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