Amata Aumua remembers the late President Gerald R. Ford with affection
Sunday, January 7th, 2007January 1, 2007
Reprinted from Samoa News
Happy New Year to all and I hope 2007 will be the best-ever year for you.
On Tuesday evening, as I watched television with my family, the program was interrupted by a “breaking news” report saying that former President Gerald R. Ford has died. This was a man I greatly admired as a political appointee during his administration. A quiet, honest, courageous man who took over the presidency at a time of great turmoil, President Ford will always be remembered for his easy smile, his kindness and gentle ways. I learned to eat my cottage cheese with Worcestershire sauce, thanks to President Ford. He was a down-to-earth, humble man who got along well with everyone and treated each individual as a very important person. I will never forget the time my husband and I attended a reception in Washington with our nine-month old daughter in tow. President Ford came over, took Erika from us, lifted her up in the air a couple of times, then hugged her and returned her to us with a quiet smile. A White House photo of them still hangs in her room. (more…)