Jimmy Carter connects with North Texas through Habitat for Humanity

Dallas — Benitalna lives in memory every day Jimmy Carter.

The 39th President met her during a Habitat for Humanity visit to Dallas in 2014 and helped build a home for her family.

“It’s just great to be home. It feels great,” said Luna. “You know, he was so vibrant, still working at his age, and it was so much fun to be with him.”

Gage Yager, CEO of Trinity Habitat, also met Carter during a visit to 20 more homes in Fort Worth.

“You’re still swinging your hammer for a ’90s habitat, right? It’s unbelievable,” Yeager said. “I look at it and think, ‘Okay, I want to be like that.'”

Yeager recalled that Carter was more focused on work than chatting, and that his wife, Rosalyn, and a Secret Service crew tried to hold the former president back in 100-degree heat.

“They worry about him drinking water. You know he’s old school and must love old school. He’s drinking black coffee. That’s what he’s doing.” “Then he’s busy. He doesn’t sit and chat.”

On Saturday, Carter’s family announced that Carter, 98, will be entering hospice care. He battled cancer in 2015 and was asked about his health at the time.

“I’ve had a great life,” Carter said. “I have had thousands of friends and lived a full and satisfying life.”

A former peanut farmer and naval engineer from Georgia, he served as president from 1977 to 1981 and spent decades volunteering with Habitat for Humanity.

“I and all habitat groups across the country stand on the shoulders of giants,” Yeager said.

Carter spoke to the WFAA during a trip to North Texas about what he wanted to do with his legacy.

“The two words I would like to describe are that I did everything I could to keep the peace and promote human rights,” he said.

Service life is also a good description.

“We’re going to help all these families have their own homes. It’s just amazing,” Luna said.

“We all want our lives to be as full, active, fulfilling, rewarding and meaningful as possible,” Yeager said. .”