Jimmy Carter celebrates 99th birthday at Georgia home alongside wife, family
ATLANTA (WISH) — On Sunday, former President Jimmy Carter celebrated his 99th birthday, alongside his wife, Rosalynn, and their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren in Plains, Georgia, according to the Associated Press.
The family spent the day together in the very same Georgia home where Carters lived in 1962 — before he had even been elected to the Georgia Senate.
Jimmy Carter’s grandson, Jason Carter, is the Board Chair of the Carter Center. He spoke to news outlets over the weekend to discuss party plans and the legacy of his grandparents.
“The remarkable piece to me, and I think to my family, is that while my grandparents have accomplished so much, they have really remained the same sort of ‘South Georgia couple that lives in a 600-person village where they were born,’” Jason told the Associated Press.
Jason went on to say that despite their place on the world stage, his grandparents always “made it easy for us, as a family, to be as normal as we can be.”
Jimmy and Rosalynn founded The Carter Center in 1982 — the year after Carter left office. The Center’s mission is the “fundamental commitment to human rights and the alleviation of human suffering, the Center seeks to prevent and resolve conflicts, enhance freedom and democracy, and improve health.”
Carter entered hospice care in February at his home in Georgia after several hospital stays. Instead of days, he has lived months to maintain his place as the oldest living President in the United States.
Carter has also been active with Habitat for Humanity over the decades. On his birthday, the organization held a live stream of the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project opening ceremony. Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood hosted the event.
Habitat for Humanity says the Carters have been “tireless advocates, active fundraisers, and some of our best hands-on construction volunteers.”
Carter served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. As The White House notes, it was for his effort “to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.”