Death: Former US President Jimmy Carter dies at the age of 100

Former US President Jimmy Carter is dead. The 39th President of the United States died on Sunday in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by his family, as Carter’s foundation announced. Carter lived to be 100 years old. He served in the White House from 1977 to 1981.

Carter is survived by four children, 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. “My father was a hero – not just to me, but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights and selfless love,” the foundation quoted Carter’s son Chip as saying. Public funeral ceremonies are planned in Atlanta and the US capital Washington.

Difficult presidency – later peacemaker

After his first term in office, the Democrat was not re-elected. He lost the election against Republican Ronald Reagan. In 2002, Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his “decades of commitment to the peaceful resolution of international conflicts.”

Carter’s term in office was overshadowed by the hostage-taking of diplomats at the US embassy in Tehran in 1979 and the failed liberation operation the following year. After leaving the presidency, Carter and his wife Rosalynn founded the Carter Center in Atlanta to promote democracy, human rights and economic development. He remained actively involved in his humanitarian work well into his old age.

Carter was the oldest living former US president, and none of his predecessors lived to be older than him. His wife of 77 years, Rosalynn, died just over a year before him.

“Compassion and moral clarity”

US President Joe Biden praised Carter as a “man of great character and courage, hope and optimism”. With compassion and moral clarity, he campaigned for the eradication of disease, peace, the promotion of civil and human rights, free and fair elections, the homeless and the poorest. “He has saved, improved and changed the lives of people around the world.”

Biden’s designated successor Donald Trump also paid tribute to the ex-president. Carter “did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans” during a challenging time. Everyone owes him a huge debt of gratitude for this. Contrary to custom, Carter also repeatedly criticized subsequent presidents – including the Republican Trump.

The last years were marked by illness

Carter’s health was poor recently. In February 2023, after several hospital stays, he stopped his medical treatment and went into home care. 100 years old on October 1st. In November he fulfilled his wish and voted by mail in the US presidential election. Carter had previously made it clear to Biden that he wanted to support Democrat Kamala Harris.

Carter’s oldest living successor is now the current incumbent Biden (November 20, 1942), followed by Donald Trump (June 14, 1946), George W. Bush (July 6, 1946), Bill Clinton (August 19, 1946) and Barack Obama (August 4, 1961).

Carter made it public in 2015 that he had cancer, but he was able to overcome it. In recent years, Carter has been hospitalized several times because of falls. After leaving the White House, Carter repeatedly got involved in politics.

In November 2019, Carter made it clear at a service in his hometown of Plains that he viewed death with calm. “I didn’t ask God to let me live,” he said. “I asked God to give me an appropriate attitude towards death. And I found that I was completely at peace with death.”