He and Michelle met for 25 minutes with relatives of the 94-year-old former South African president, who remains in critical condition with a lung infection. “I expressed my hope that Madiba draws peace and comfort from the time that he is spending with loved ones, and also expressed my heartfelt support for the entire family as they work through this difficult time,” Obama said after the meeting. “I also reaffirmed the profound impact that his legacy has had in building a free South Africa, and in inspiring people around the world — including me. That’s a legacy that we must all honor in our own lives.” He will not see Mandela in person during his South Africa trip “out of deference” to the ailing leader’s “peace and comfort.”
