HOUSTON — The world is saying a final farewell to former First Lady Rosalynn Carter after she died earlier this month.
Former President Jimmy Carter, who has been receiving home hospice care since February, attended a ceremony for his late wife on Tuesday. Their son, James Carter III, was also there.
"My mother was the glue that held our family together," Carter III said.
Rosalynn Carter has a huge legacy in Houston. She and her husband helped build many homes for those in need.
The Carters' association with Habitat for Humanity is well-known and it's something that families in Houston will never forget because they live in homes the Carters helped build.
It was a hot summer in 1998. The former president and his wife came to Houston and joined thousands of other volunteers to build affordable houses for those in need.
The Carters used saws, hammers and nails while working on a 1,100-square-foot house with 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom.
Rosalynn was full of energy while also making Houston history by helping to build 100 homes in one week.
"I think it's just the best way to put your religious faith into action and just really do something for someone who is less fortunate," Rosalynn said at the time.
Earlier this year, KHOU 11 News went back to the Fifth Ward neighborhood in which they were building homes. We talked to families who remember meeting the Carters and keeping the presidential family close to their hearts.
"There are people living in homes now all over this globe as a result of her and President Carter's involvement with Habitat for Humanity," homeowner Wade Gibson said.
Reverend Harvey Clemons Jr., pastor of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, was there in 1998, volunteering alongside the Carters.
"Just a wonderful soul to be around, particularly when you would see her and President Carter react to one another," Clemons Jr. said of Rosalynn.
Clemons Jr. said Rosalynn was kind and gentle but also understood her role and what it meant to the country. As a First Lady, she didn't shy away from the challenges.
Now, her legacy lives in Houston and beyond.