BATON ROUGE- Flags line the lawn outside of the Capitol Saturday, as the state grieves the late governor Edwin Edwards.

Inside the building, the rotunda was filled with family, state leaders and politicians of past and present.

United States Representative Troy Carter stopped by to pay his respects. He served under Edwards in his fourth and final term as governor.

"The true man is a man who loved Louisiana. He's a man that went to his grave believing that Louisiana was the greatest state in the union," Carter said.

Edwards was Louisiana's longest-standing governor. He served four terms as the state's leader. He's described by many as a controversial and charismatic figure.

Carter mentions that Edwards also spent time in prison but says that's only a minuscule part of his unique story.

"What happened with his legal battles let that be one chapter, but there's a whole book," Carter said.

The pictures on display at the Capitol sparked many conversations about the legacy Edwards left behind.

His former director of security, Ray Holloway, stopped by to reflect.

"When I was over his security, he did not want uniform police officers around him. He wanted to be able to meet the people and be part of the crowd," Holloway said.

Holloway says he had a special way of connecting to others.

"I love the way he smiled. I love the way he dealt with people," he said.

The connections he made, his loved ones say, will last a lifetime in the hearts of those who loved him.

"The magnitude of this great man who has always been vibrant, quick-witted, sharp, and to see him in a casket is difficult because you don't see a giant at rest," Carter said.

Flags will continue to be flown at half staff until his private funeral and burial Sunday.