'He's stubborn': Jimmy Carter's grandson says he's 'not that active' now, but has 'good days'

Jimmy Carter’s grandson, Jason Carter, said in a new interview his grandfather is “not that active” these days, but he’s still “stubborn” after spending nearly two years in hospice care.

The former president’s oldest grandchild told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's “Politically Georgia” podcast that when Jimmy Carter entered hospice care in February 2023, his family thought he might have days or weeks.

But as the months have passed, and Jimmy Carter celebrated his milestone 100^th birthday in October, Jason Carter said faith has been at the forefront for the Carter family. The former president has long been open about his religion and taught Sunday school for decades in his hometown of Plains, Georgia.

“We are not the ones responsible for when and how people leave this world in this kind of a way,” he told the AJC in the podcast released Wednesday. “(Jimmy Carter’s) faith story is one that has been important to him, and this is another part of that.”

“On a more personal level,” Jason Carter added, “I just think he’s stubborn. I mean, he’s never given up on anything in his life and he’s not going to start now.”

More: Cancer spread to Jimmy Carter's brain 9 years ago. Here's how he's lived so long.

Jason Carter explained his grandfather has “big, good days where he’s pretty active, he’s up and active and talking and enjoying, including in politics.”

“But most days he’s not that active, he’s going to sleep a lot of the time,” he said.

Jason Carter told USA TODAY earlier this year that Jimmy Carter was still following politics and the Israel-Hamas war, specifically the toll in Gaza.

“Those are both things that are very close to his heart,” he said in August.

Former first lady Rosalynn Carter died in November 2023, and the former president made a rare public appearance at her memorials.

“Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” Jimmy Carter said in a statement from the Carter Center at the time. “She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jimmy Carter's grandson says he's 'not that active,' has 'good days'