Former Fresno Mayor reacts to news of Jimmy Carter in hospice care

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- "Our hearts go out to his family, his loved one's at this difficult time," said Andy Hansen-Smith, office manager for the Fresno County Democratic Party.

This comes after former President Jimmy Carter announced he will go home after a series of short hospital visits and receive hospice care.

Former Fresno Mayor Dan Whitehurst shared his thoughts on the man he knew the former president to be.

"Selflessness, and service and kindness and sharing and generosity and so on, and I think he is someone who has lived up that kind of servant leader ideal," said Whitehurst.

Whitehurst was in office when President Carter made a visit to the Central Valley.

"Over here is a photo of Carter and me out at the Fresno air terminal," said Whitehurst.

He said he was recently elected mayor in 1977 when he got to meet the then President.

"I'm at city hall. A secretary comes in and says, 'The white house is on the phone for you', I thought 'oh, ok, something that doesn't happen every day'," said Whitehurst.

He said at the time, the Central Valley was going through a drought and President Carter wanted to see the crisis for himself.

Whitehurst had the opportunity to greet the President and introduce him to leaders from across the state.

He said after the first meeting, he was invited to the white house for the U.S. Conference of Mayors where he crossed paths with the president for a second time.

"We're going through the receiving line, and he's there greeting people, and I said to him, 'Hi Mr. President, I'm Dan Whitehurst, Mayor of Fresno and you came to visit us in Fresno last May' and he goes, 'Oh how kind of you to remember'," said Whitehurst.

He remembers the president being welcoming and very kind every time they crossed paths.

And Whitehurst says President Carter's post-presidency career was full of giving back to the people.

"I think he honestly felt it was his job was to be of service. Not to be famous, not to grand, not to be powerful but to be of service, and we'd do well if more people had that frame of mind," said Whitehurst.

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