Two days in 2017 will forever be ingrained in Steve Krahn’s memory. That’s when he met former U.S. president Jimmy Carter.
“It was the highlight of my career,” Krahn said.
Krahn is the senior vice-president for program delivery at Habitat for Humanity in Manitoba — an organization Carter was heavily involved with. The former president, who died Sunday, made the trip to Winnipeg in 1993 and 2017.
“Every year there’s been a Carter work project that takes place in various locations,” Krahn said.
In 2017, he recalls volunteers building 18 homes and working throughout the night. Carter was known for swinging a hammer and leading his team.
“He has a fantastic work ethic,” Krahn said. “In fact, those who get assigned to work on his house are expected not to treat him like a celebrity or famous person, but rather treat him like any other worker, which I’m sure is very difficult.”
That year, Carter — then 93 years old — had a brief health scare, landing him in St. Boniface Hospital.
“He was determined to be back at the construction site the next day. It almost brings me to tears just thinking about it. He wanted to be there with the families and all the volunteers who had come out.”
Because of those impactful interactions, Krahn and the rest of the Habitat for Humanity Manitoba community will remember Carter as a man of integrity.
“Someone whose word and deed were in complete alignment with his actions.”