Former US President Jimmy Carter dies at 100 at his home in Plains, Georgia, says Report

Jimmy Carter, who served as the 39th US President from 1977 to 1981, has died at the age of 100 at his home in Georgia, Reuters reported on Monday.

A Democrat, Carter entered the White House after beating incumbent President, Republican Gerald Ford, in the 1976 US election. He was defeated in the 1980 election by actor-turned politician Ronald Reagan, who had earlier served as California governor.

“My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love,” Reuters quoted Chip Carter, the former US president’s son, as saying on Sunday.

“My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs,” he added.

Carter, in recent years, experienced a range of health issues, including melanoma that spread to his liver and brain. He decided to receive hospice care, a type of health care focussed on improving the quality of life of people who are terminally ill, in 2023 and chose not to undergo additional medical intervention.

He attended the funeral of his wife, Rosalynn Carter, who died on November 19, 2023, at age 96, in a wheelchair, looking frail during the memorial service.

Carter, however, went on to achieve the distinction of living longer, after his term in office, than any other US President.

He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his contributions to finding peaceful solutions to international conflicts, apart from advancing democracy and human rights among others.

His single four-years stay at the Oval office witnessed the 1978 Camp David accords between Israel and Egypt that helped bring stability to the Middle East.