Jimmy Carter has reached a milestone that was previously unimaginable, becoming 100 years old. This accomplishment came more than 19 months after he began receiving hospice care.
There is no doubt that the 39th President of the United States, who holds the record for being the oldest surviving former president and the longest-lived president in the history of the United States, has made the most of the last century.
Carter has always had the goal of making a significant influence, whether it be via his service in the military, his contributions to global affairs as president, his diplomatic endeavors, his teaching of Sunday school teachings, or his voluntary work with Habitat for Humanity far into his 90s.
“I had only one life to live, and I wanted to live it as a civilian, with a potentially fuller opportunity for varied public service,” he wrote in his book, White House Diary, which was published in 2010.
In the present moment, Carter, who has been receiving hospice care since February 2023, is hoping to achieve one more objective before he passes away permanently. In a recent statement, the former president was quoted as saying, “I’m only trying to make it to vote for Kamala Harris,” as published by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. This information was provided by his grandson Jason Carter.
In spite of the fact that he made a rare public appearance at the burial of his late wife Rosalynn Carter in November of last year, Carter calls himself “physically limited” and prefers to spend his time at home with his loved ones.
“This is an important part of his faith journey, and it’s one that you don’t get to experience at any other time in your life except for the very end,” Jason said to PEOPLE in September of last year, a few months after his grandpa decided to undergo hospice care. “And so in that way, I think this has been a really meaningful time for him, and it’s been a really reflective time for him.”
During the month of September, a significant number of celebrities and loved ones gathered in Atlanta for a tribute concert that was arranged to celebrate the milestone birthday of the former president.
The event was titled “Jimmy Carter 100: A Celebration in Song,” and it included performances by artists such as Chuck Leavell, D-Nice, Drive-By Truckers, Eric Church, GROUPLOVE, Maren Morris, The War And Treaty, and The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chamber Chorus.
During the event, Jason, who happens to be the chairperson of the Carter Center, met up with PEOPLE in order to provide an update on the health of his grandpa.
“I mean he’s been in hospice for over 19 months now and he has really physically diminished and can’t do much on his own,” Jason previously disclosed to PEOPLE. “But he is emotionally engaged and still having experiences and laughing, loving.”
On October 1, as part of the festivities commemorating his birthday, the tribute concert will be broadcast live on Georgia Public Broadcasting. It is anticipated that President Carter will be there to see the performance.
