Jimmy Carter‘s grandson provided an update on Tuesday (May 21) regarding the health of the former president, indicating that Carter is nearing the end of his life.
“My grandfather is doing OK,” Jason Carter stated during a mental health forum held at the Carter Center in honor of his late grandmother, former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, as per CNN.
He continued: “He has been in hospice, as you know, for almost a year and a half now, and he really is, I think, coming to the end. As I’ve said before, there’s a part of this faith journey that is so important to him, and there’s a part of that faith journey that you only can live at the very end, and I think he has been there in that space.”
Jimmy Carter, now 99, holds the record as the oldest living president in history, a milestone he achieved following the death of George H.W. Bush in 2018, who was 94.
Carter has endured numerous health challenges, including metastatic brain cancer, liver cancer, and brain surgery following a fall in 2019. He entered hospice care in February 2023 after multiple hospitalizations and made a rare public appearance at his wife’s memorial service in November.
Reflecting on the recent loss of his grandmother, Jason Carter remarked: “My grandmother’s passing was a difficult moment for all of us, including my grandfather.”
He added: “The outpouring of love and support that we, as a family, received from people in this room and from the rest of the world was so remarkable and meaningful to us. And it really turned that whole process into a celebration.”
Rosalynn Carter was a staunch advocate for mental health, making it a central focus during her tenure as both Georgia’s First Lady and the First Lady of the United States. In 1977, she spearheaded the President’s Commission on Mental Health, leading to significant advancements in research funding, treatment access, and innovative mental health care approaches.
Jason Carter also highlighted the significance of his grandmother’s work in mental health, particularly concerning caregiving, as he reflected on moments spent with his grandfather over the past year.
He recounted a conversation they had while watching an Atlanta Braves game together. “I said, ‘Pa Pa … people ask me how you’re doing and I say I don’t know.’ And he said, ‘Well, I don’t know myself.’ And so, he’s still there,” Jason recalled, laughing.
The former president’s health has been a topic of considerable public interest, especially since he entered hospice care. In a February interview with CBS, Jason Carter affirmed that his grandfather’s spirit remains “as strong as ever.”
Before his political career, Carter was a peanut farmer and served as a US Navy lieutenant. A Democrat, he served as governor of Georgia for one term before becoming the 39th president of the United States, holding office from 1977 to 1981.
