ATLANTA, USA – Former President Jimmy Carter, a champion of human rights and global peace, has died at the age of 100, according to a statement from the Carter Center.
Carter, who served as the 39th president of the United States, passed away after entering home hospice care in February 2023 following a series of hospital stays.
“Our founder, former US President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” The Carter Center announced on X on Sunday, December 29, 2024,
The White House also confirmed Carter’s death, and preparations for a state funeral have begun.
President Jimmy Carter speaks at Merced College in 1980. | Diana Walker/The Chronicle Collection/Getty Images
A Legacy of Service
Jimmy Carter was a one-term president who served from 1977 to 1981.
Though his presidency faced challenges, including the Iran hostage crisis and an energy crisis, Carter’s legacy as a humanitarian and peacemaker grew significantly after leaving office.
Carter founded the Carter Center in 1982, which became a global force for monitoring elections, combating diseases, and advocating for human rights.
In 2002, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his decades of work promoting peaceful solutions to international conflicts and advancing democracy.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens reflected on Carter’s profound influence, stating:
“I was born into a state led by Governor Carter. When I learned the Pledge of Allegiance at Miles Elementary School, a photo of President Carter hung on the wall. And for the last four decades, I have watched Jimmy Carter and his beloved Rosalynn be the very definition of servant leaders, representing the best that our state and our nation have to offer.”
A Love That Endured
Carter’s passing comes just over a year after the death of Rosalynn Carter on November 19, 2023. The couple, married in 1946, held the record as the longest-married presidential couple in U.S. history.
Jimmy and Rosalynn’s love story began in 1945 when the young Naval Academy student met Eleanor Rosalynn Smith.
Carter proposed twice before Rosalynn accepted, and their partnership became the foundation of his life’s work.
In a 2015 interview with CNN, Carter described the secret to their enduring marriage:
“Rosalynn has been the foundation for my entire enjoyment of life… First of all, it’s best to choose the right woman, which I did. And secondly, we give each other space to do our own things.”
Reflections on Mortality
In his 2015 autobiography, A Full Life, Carter reflected on his life and legacy, expressing peace with his accomplishments and acceptance of life’s challenges.
“We are blessed with good health and look to the future with eagerness and confidence, but are prepared for inevitable adversity when it comes,” he wrote.
Honouring a Life Well Lived
Carter’s journey from a peanut farmer in Plains, Georgia, to the White House and ultimately to a global humanitarian remains a testament to the power of service and integrity.
As the nation mourns his passing, Carter’s legacy will endure through the Carter Center and the countless lives he touched.
A state funeral to honour Jimmy Carter’s life and contributions is expected in the coming days.
