"Long and Good Journey" US Longest-Living President Carter Celebrates 99th Birthday

Federal Government 'Shutdown' Concerns... Birthday Celebrations One Day Early
Birthday Messages from Biden and Other Politicians Continue

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter celebrated his 99th birthday on the 1st (local time). Becoming the longest-lived U.S. president in history, Carter spent a quiet time at his home with his wife Rosalynn and family members.

According to foreign media including the Associated Press, former President Carter and Rosalynn postponed church services and were congratulated by their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren at their home in Plains, Atlanta, Georgia, their hometown.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. [Photo by Yonhap News]

On Carter's birthday, a wooden cake model with a birthday message was placed on the White House lawn, and congratulatory messages from politicians including President Joe Biden followed. President Biden expressed his respect through a video message, saying he would be honored to achieve even half of what Carter accomplished.

Former President Bill Clinton also sent congratulations and thanks via video message. He said, "99 years comes only once. It has been a long and good journey," and added, "Thank you for your service, friendship, and for remaining a model of the American Dream for so long."

Former President Carter has faced several health issues, including melanoma, a type of skin cancer, which spread to his liver and brain in 2015. Since February, he has stopped life-prolonging treatments and is receiving hospice care at home.

Jason Carter, his grandson and chairman of the Carter Center board, expressed amazement that the Carter couple is living as they always have in the small town where they were born, and regarding Carter's condition, he said, "He is nearing the end but doing well."

The Washington Post (WP) reported that Carter made a surprise appearance at a celebration held in Plains, where his home is located, the day before his birthday, and that applause and cheers from the gathered crowd did not cease when the Carters appeared.

Birthday messages sent to the Carter Center have exceeded 17,000. The Carter Center is displaying congratulatory messages and photos sent from around the world on its website, as well as at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta.

While Carter's birthday event has been held annually on October 1 at the Jimmy Carter Library in Atlanta, this year it was moved up a day due to the possibility of a federal government shutdown. The celebration continues as a 45-day temporary budget bill passed Congress the day before.

WP reported, "Medical staff diagnosed in February that Carter had about a week left to live, but he still watches TV news and discusses current issues with close relatives," adding, "He is monitoring next year's presidential election trends and watching baseball games of the Atlanta Braves, the team he supports."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.