As former President Jimmy Carter enters hospice care at his home in Georgia, North Texans are celebrating the work he did here. In 2014, he helped build dozens of homes in Dallas and Fort Worth.
"He's never one to sit back and do nothing," says Trinity Habitat Chief Executive Gage Yager. "He jumped out there with both feet, started swinging a hammer, making phone calls, raising money and doing all the things it takes to make Habitat work."
Yager says the community build in East Fort Worth brought together people from all backgrounds and political affiliation. Betsy Price, a Republican, was mayor at the time and joined Carter. Garth Brooks and his wife, Trisha Yearwood, also attended, along with members of the Texas Rangers and Dallas Cowboys.
"We greeted him in October of 2014 with a 101 degree day, and [Carter] didn't slow down," Yager says. "He was 89 at the time. He got up that morning, he gave the devotional to a tent of 600 people. The atmosphere was totally electric. He did not and does not swing by for a photo op. He stayed there and worked."
Yager says Carter helped Habitat for Humanity build a worldwide reputation.
"He could have been home doing not much, but he is not a do-nothing guy. He's an active man," Yager says. "You have to admire that. I think even the people who disagree with him politically can admire him as a human being. I think that's admirable, and we need more of that."
In addition to helping Habitat for Humanity build its reputation, Yager says Carter can inspire people to keep setting goals
"I think he threw the gauntlet down for everybody else," he says. "If I'm doing this at 90-whatever years old, there's really no excuse for anybody from any walk of life to not pick something. Get involved. Make a difference. Leave it better than you found it."
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