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Former President Jimmy Carter is relying on his faith and his stubbornness during his time in hospice care to enjoy more that a century on Earth, his grandson has said.
The ex-commander-in-chief turned 100 in October after entering hospice care at his home in Plains, Georgia in February 2023 at a time when his family thought he might live for days or weeks.
Grandson Jason Carter appeared on the podcast Politically Georgia by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Monday and addressed Carter’s longevity.
“We are not the ones responsible for when and how people leave this world in this kind of a way, and [Jimmy Carter’s] faith story is one that has been important to him, and this is another part of that,” he told the outlet.
The former president spent many years teaching Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church before his health deteriorated.
“On a more personal level, I just think he’s stubborn. I mean, he’s never given up on anything in his life and he’s not going to start now,” his grandson noted.
While Carter did not attend public events celebrating his 100th birthday, he did participate in early voting for the presidential election, filling out a ballot supporting Vice President Kamala Harris that was taken to a drop box at the Sumter County Courthouse, family members said.
Jason Carter noted that his grandfather has days that are better than others.
“He’s got big, good days where he’s pretty active. He’s up and active and talking, including [about] politics. But most days he’s not that active, he’s going to sleep a lot of the time,” he said on the podcast.
Earlier this year, Jason Carter told USA Today that his grandfather was still following politics and world events, specifically the war between Israel and Hamas, and the events in Gaza.
“Those are both things that are very close to his heart,” Jason Carter told the outlet in August.
Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter passed away in November last year, with the former president taking part in her memorials.
“Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” Carter said in a statement at the time.
“She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me,” he added.
