When I reached out via email in 2012, I never expected a response. I had started writing celebrity profiles and doing red carpet interviews, but rather than asking about their latest movie, TV show or public policy, I wanted to know more about their experience as a family caregiver. But of all the celebs on my wish list, former First Lady Rosalynn Carter was a complete moonshot of an interview.
Mrs. Carter had written about her lifelong role as a caregiver starting as a 13-year-old caring for her younger sibings after her father died and her mother needed to work to feed the family living in Plains, Ga. Her cargiving journey continued well into her 70s as she cared for various family members including her mother-in-law and her mother. Beyond her personal caregiving experience, she was also the first national figure to put the spotlight on caregiver burnout, mental health and the need to support caregiver self-care programs and recognition of our nation’s unpaid, overlooked and overwhelmed family caregivers (read more in the PBS Next Avenue article link below).
At age 13, Rosalynn first became a caregiver for her younger siblings . . . 
. . . her caregiving journey continued into her 70s as she cared for various family including her mother, Allie Smith (photos courtesy of The Carter Center)
When my email inbox showed a reply, I braced myself for a polite “thanks, but no thanks” for my interview request. Instead, I felt that spark of joy when you go for a moonshoot moment and actually land it! Mrs. Carter understood the need to consistently bring awareness to caregivers and her assistant said she could spend 20 minutes answering my questions. She actually gave me 45 minutes and from then on she was a wonderful connection – granting me other interviews over the years and even providing a testimonial for my book, A Cast of Caregivers.
My last request to Mrs. Carter was in 2022. I had wanted to interview her for her August birthday for my podcast, “Caregiving Club On Air” but unfortunately her frail health prohibited it. However, she approved use of one of the recordings I had made of my previous interviews with her. It’s scratchy and not great audio quality but you can hear the passion in her voice for caregivers and for her “Me Time” which was fly fishing. (You can find that interview during Season 2, Episode 12 here) . Just a few months later and earlier this year, the Carter Center announced her dementia diagnosis.
I was honored to write the tribute article to Mrs. Carter for PBS Next Avenue on news of her passing November 19. She left us during November National Family Caregiver Month – it makes sense that she would want the remembrance of her life to be tied to celebrating the special population of caregivers she championed.
Personally, I will forever be grateful and thankful Mrs. Carter gave me the gift of her time. It is something I try to remember when people reach out to me for advice or mentorship. Sharing your wisdom and experiences are what helps us make programs, places, people and the planet a little better. Thank you Mrs. Carter for teaching me this life lesson.
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