HABERSHAM COUNTY, Ga. — For eight years Nathan Deal called 391 West Paces Ferry Road in Atlanta home. It’s where the state’s top leader lives during their term.
Now, life is a lot more secluded for the former governor and his wife Sandra Deal. They reside in Habersham County next to the Chattahoochee River.
However, these past 11 months haven't been smooth sailing.
“I’m in the process of recuperating from my back surgery that I had 10 days after I left office as governor. They tell me I’m about 80 percent recovered,” Deal explained.
Deal said he started having back problems near the end of his term.
He told 11Alive’s Nick Sturdivant that since his surgery he has been going to physical therapy and to a personal trainer to regain his strength and balance.
That hasn’t stopped him from working.
“So, it’s a mixture of working. It’s a mixture of recovery. So, it’s busy though! We get invited to go to so many things,” he mentioned.
Deal will head back to the classroom soon.
Recently, his alma mater, Mercer University, appointed him as the Distinguished University Professor of Government.
“It is a special place. It gave me a great foundation,” Deal said. “It will amount to a series of lectures that I’ll be asked to do with a goal that at the end of a couple of years maybe to compile those lectures into a book."
Deal is also an invited guest speaker at the University of North Georgia.
“Somebody asked me one time, what is your purpose in going back and being a professor at a university? Well, I said my main purpose is to try and teach young people how to think. If they can think on their own, they’ll be good citizens,” he said.
You can catch him and his wife Sandra across the metro Atlanta area. Deal says they’re heavily involved in the community, from reading to children to speaking engagements.
The father of four and grandfather of six is preparing to spend the holidays with his family.
“I don’t feel like I’ve had the normal retirement….as I said, we have a very busy schedule so, Sandra says come see us. Just call us before you come to make sure we’re going to be here,” deal laughed.
He will officially start his new role at Mercer at the beginning of the year.
He said one of the things he misses about being governor is the close camaraderie he and his wife had with the troopers.
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