SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – Photojournalist Lewis Levine, a freelancer at WSAV for more than a decade, has told thousands of stories through the lens of his camera.
Some of his most gratifying assignments included covering American presidents like Jimmy Carter, who died on Sunday at the age of 100.
“He’s the first president I got to interview in my career," Levine remembered. "So being in his presence was exciting. You don't always get to meet a president or former president.”
Carter visited Georgia Southern University in February 2013 to talk to students about a number of topics, including volunteerism.
"I think everything that a human being can do to take whatever talent or ability or resources we have, personal resources or financial resources and share it with others is not only doing what the Christian faith or other faith requires, demands," the former president said, "but also it gives you an exciting and unpredictable and adventurous life.”
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Levine said each reporter got to ask Carter one question.
“I asked him, does President Obama ever seek advice from you? President Carter said "Nah, I don’t think he needs to seek any advice from me. He's doing fine by himself," Levine said, adding, "Then he posed for photos with each of us. He asked each of us where we were from and kind of interacted with us very personably. “
The photojournalist called Carter a fantastic former president.
"'His humanity towards our country and helping folks in need, I mean it's beyond reproach," Levine said. "I mean, you can’t compare him with really anybody else at this point who has held that office.”
Photographers usually don’t interview presidents, but this moment was once in a lifetime.
“But given that opportunity that day, it was awesome," Levine said. "It’s something I can tell my grandchildren about, and I kept the photos and it was a nice experience."
He called Carter a very humble man who gave so much of himself.
"There will never be another one like him," Levine said.