Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter’s grandson, Jason Carter, recently shared an update on his grandfather’s health ahead of his 100th birthday celebration. Despite being in hospice care since February 2023, Jimmy remains emotionally engaged and aware, though his physical health has declined. “He has really physically diminished, but he is emotionally engaged and still having experiences and laughing, loving,” Jason told *People* magazine.

The family initially believed Jimmy’s passing was near, but he has defied those expectations. “God had other plans,” Jason explained, adding that they can’t predict his condition daily.

Jimmy has spent his final years in Plains, Georgia, where he and his late wife Rosalynn, who passed away in 2023, built their life. Jason said, “None of us really understand what it’s like for him right now… there are things about the spirit that you just can’t understand.”