December 30, 1977 would mark a profound moment in history, and in the heart of a Cleveland resident serving in the United States Marine Corps at the time.
At 20 years old, Corporal Rick Roderick was stationed at a post in Warsaw, Poland with nine other soldiers. They’d gotten word earlier in December that President Carter would be making an eight-day trip to six different countries. The president’s first stop: Poland.
Roderick was one of six marines selected to lay a wreath at the foot of the Ghetto Heroes Monument with President Carter.
At first, he didn’t realize the full impact of the small gesture, but after reading about the history of the monument and what it stands for, Roderick says, “tears came down my eyes.
Roderick says his honor and gratitude only grew with time.
“I really didn’t appreciate the whole event until years after I left,” he says. “I appreciated it even more then.”
With that, his respect and honor for the president grew, and Carter easily became one of the most significant influences in Roderick’s life.
“He was the right guy, at the right place, at the right time. That’s what he was for not only the governor, but that’s who he was for the President of the United States.”
President Carter’s time in office would be a reminder of why Roderick served our country.
“The man that he is, the man that he was until his passing today, will always be etched in my life,” Roderick says.
That’s why nearly fifty years later, Roderick spends his time volunteering for the Habitat for Humanity, an organization that Carter worked alongside for 36 years of his life.
President Carter was adored by Roderick and beloved by the nation. The legacy of the thirty-ninth President of the United States will forever live on.
“In my mind, he’s going to go down as one of the greatest presidents this nation ever had,” Roderick says.
