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President Jimmy Carter's "Most Exciting" Memory Shows His Pure Love for Wife Rosalynn
The late president, who died at 100 on December 29, was was married to the First Lady of the United States for nearly 80 years.
The year was 2002. President Jimmy Carter had just brokered the unprecedented Camp David Accords and made history. The Accords marked the end of hostilities between Egypt and Israel, making Egypt the first country in the Middle East to recognize Israel as a legitimate nation.
When news broke that Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian efforts, an appearance on TODAY was scheduled, and an interview with then-anchor Katie Couric was set in stone. In this clip from October 2022, Couric wasted no time getting to the point, asking the question on everybody's mind:
"Has it sunk in for you yet, Mr. President?" Couric asked.
"This has sunk in now and I'm really grateful," Carter revealed.
"Is this the most exciting thing that's ever happened to you?" Couric followed up. "Or I guess being elected the president of the United States must be right up there as well, right?"
While brokering peace between two warring Middle Eastern nations, earning the Nobel Peace Prize, and being elected president would certainly be a significant accomplishment for any citizen, Carter revealed that those milestones paled in comparison to a different life event.
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"Well, when Rosalynn said she'd marry me, I think that's the most exciting thing," Carter confessed with a smile.
Talk about pure love.
"Oh my gosh, you're gonna score points with that this morning!" Couric exclaimed.
"Being elected president was obviously very exciting. I've had a lot of wonderful occasions in my life," he explained.
That sums up President Carter in a nutshell. Although he was one of the most beloved presidents of our time, he was always a family man at heart, and his love for his wife is one of the sweetest things ever. Carter married Rosalynn Carter on July 7, 1946.
On Sunday, December 29, Carter, the 39th president of the United States, died at age 100. Rosalyn passed away on November 19, 2023. In a statement after her death, Carter said, "She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me."
What did Jimmy Carter write to his wife 75 years ago?
For all the good President Carter did throughout his life through his tireless humanitarian efforts, the nearly eight decades of marriage to his loving wife will arguably resonate most.
Carter attended Rosalynn's public memorial service on November 28, 2023. Although he was too frail to speak, his daughter Amy spoke on his behalf. Amy read from a letter Carter sent Rosalynn approximately 75 years earlier while in the Navy.
"My darling, every time I have ever been away from you, I have been thrilled when I returned to discover just how wonderful you are," the letter read. "While I am away, I try to convince myself that you really are not, could not be, as sweet and beautiful as I remember. But when I see you, I fall in love with you all over again."
