Jimmy Carter is set to celebrate his 100th birthday on Tuesday, marking him as the first U.S. president to reach this milestone.
Carter, who served from 1977 to 1981, has spent the last 19 months in hospice care in Georgia. Despite his health challenges, his grandson Jason reports that Carter remains “emotionally engaged, laughing, and loving.”
The former president, known for his humanitarian efforts and as a Nobel Prize laureate, expressed his desire to stay healthy enough to vote for Kamala Harris in the upcoming election.
In celebration of his birthday, Habitat for Humanity volunteers are building 30 homes in Minnesota, a charity Carter has supported for four decades. Events in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, include a naturalization ceremony for 100 new U.S. citizens and a military flyover featuring F-18 jets.
Earlier this month, a star-studded concert in Atlanta honored Carter’s milestone and raised over $1.2 million for The Carter Center. The concert featured performances from various artists and included messages from former presidents.
Carter will be watching the concert broadcast on Tuesday. He made a rare public appearance in November 2023 to honor his late wife, Rosalynn, who passed away at 96. Their 77-year marriage holds the record for the longest in presidential history.
When Carter entered hospice care in February 2023, many family members believed he had little time left. His grandson Josh described the past months as a “gift.” Others have noted that Carter’s situation has highlighted the benefits of hospice care, with some saying he has helped destigmatize it as a reasonable choice for end-of-life care.