Of the many friends Garth Brooks and his wife, Trisha Yearwood, have, 39th United States President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, could be among their most beloved. So as a show of their gratitude for their long-term companionship, plus to honor the former Chief Executive and First Lady’s 75th wedding anniversary, Brooks and Yearwood honored the tandem with a special gift: a red convertible built in 1946, the year the former first couple was married.
In celebration of the couple’s 75th wedding anniversary, a party was held to welcome 300 guests, including fellow former US President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary, current Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, entrepreneur and humanitarian Ted Turner, plus staff members of the Carter Center, and representatives from Habitat for Humanity — where Brooks and Yearwood have oftentimes aided the group by building homes alongside the Carters.
The Carters’ close friend Jill Stuckey told PEOPLE that the gift from Brooks & Yearwood arrived at the couple’s home in Plains, Georgia, last Wednesday around noon. It was taken by Secret Service and stored in an area of the compound where the couple wouldn’t see it until the Saturday festivities. Upon receipt of the gift, Stuckey added that the Carters had “bright eyes and big smiles,” plus they were “very excited.”
At the event, President Carter remarked, “To my wife Rosalynn, I want to express a particular gratitude for being the right woman that I chose for my wife.” As well, his wife added, “It’s wonderful to celebrate with so many friends. It’s just so good to have you all here and I thank you for making it a good evening, a good time for us to be here and to be with friends we care about very much.”
