Jimmy Carter Turns 98 & 'Looks Good' at Rare Public Appearance — He Credits Wife of 76 Years with Long Life

• Jimmy Carter reached a milestone that other former Presidents of the United States could not achieve.

• Jimmy was barely seen in public, and people expressed their appreciation for how he looked after he made a rare appearance while celebrating his wife's birthday.

• The former President had a very sweet reason why he could live this long.

In August 2022, former President and First Lady of the United States (US) Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter made a rare public appearance in Plains, Georgia. The couple went out to celebrate Rosalynn ahead of her birthday.

On August 18, 2022, the former First Lady turned 95! In a short YouTube clip shared by 13 WMAZ, the duo was seen hanging out with a bunch of friends with whom they spent over an hour.

Jimmy was seen smiling in the video as he chatted with the people who had gathered to honor his wife. According to the news station, the couple's friends dedicated a large butterfly statue in tribute to the birthday girl.

Fans jumped into the comment section, with one person noting how "good" the pair looked. Someone else shared that they wished the couple luck with their health and found it amazing that their oldest son, Jack Carter, was 75 and still had living parents, while a third person wrote:

"Wow..... They serve the Lord, and God has blessed them with long life."

13 WMAZ also revealed that in October 2022, Jimmy would be turning a whopping 98 years! Tim Buchanon, a member of the Friends of the Carters organization, shared how the former President was healthy, adding:

"He reads his Bible every day, is engaged in family meetings, and chimes in on decisions related to the Carter Center in Atlanta."

The 39th US President moved home to Plains in 1981 after his time in the White House. In 2002, he won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in finding peaceful solutions to international conflicts.

The couple also celebrated their 76th wedding anniversary in 2022. In his 90s, Jimmy suffered some health issues, including his most recent one, in 2019, when he fell and broke his left hip.

Rosalynn's husband also battled brain cancer in 2015 and survived. The illness had killed off some of his family members, and when he was diagnosed, he was prepared for the worst.

At the time, the former politician had confessed that he'd prepared himself for the worst, thinking he only had a few weeks left. Jimmy was content and at ease because he'd lived a full life with thousands of friends.

However, his wife didn't feel the same way, and luckily within months, the cancer had gone. The former President had innovative immunotherapeutic treatments and surgery that were successful.

By November of that same year, he and his wife were back to their annual Habitat building mission. It appears Jimmy was as resilient as ever, but he'd had a long life because of one special person who's been with him from the beginning.

What Kept Jimmy Going For So Long

Speaking to People magazine when he was 95, Jimmy confessed that it was hard to live until that age. The former leader of the US elaborated on his statement, saying:

“I think the best explanation for that is to marry the best spouse: someone who will take care of you and engage and do things to challenge you and keep you alive and interested in life.”

Besides giving credit to his wife for his long life, Jimmy also once admitted that he knew he wanted to marry her after their first date at the movies. At the time, the former President was visiting home while attending the US Naval Academy at Annapolis, and Rosalynn was a college freshman.

In 1946, the couple tied the knot, and the rest was history. Speaking to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) in 2021, Jimmy's wife confessed that they still loved each other while he said their love had grown, explaining:

"We have grown closer to each other. We've learned from each other. And we have learned to accommodate each other's idiosyncrasies."

The former President continued, "And we've learned how to give each other plenty of space." He noted how each of them could do their own things while the other partner wasn't around, but his wife added that they also looked for activities they could do as a couple.

When asked what key practices helped make their marriage last that long, Jimmy shared how they tried to forgive any differences they had in the day each night. He also said they read the Bible daily and tried reconciling before sleeping, with his wife noting:

"Jimmy is really kind, and he will hold out his hand, take my hand when we are walking down the street or sitting in the car. Squeeze my hand. Those kinds of things draw me closer to him."

Another thing that probably added to their longevity was their active lifestyles, including playing tennis. The couple also found a reason to live through their children's offspring.

Despite their age and being together for closer to 100 years, Jimmy [Carter] still had a loving nickname for his wife [Rosalynn Carter].

Jimmy and Rosalynn's Active Lifestyle and the Grand and Great-Grandchildren That Motivated Them

The former First Lady and President enjoyed a good life as a couple. The pair had decades of memories that kept them bonded, but they also enjoyed participating in some activities together.

Rosalynn and her husband enjoyed bird-watching, tennis on the court behind their house, and downhill skiing. However, because they were now older and trailer, they only planned a year in advance, with Jimmy stating:

"I think both mine and Rosa's minds are almost as good as they used to be; we just have limited capability on stamina and strength."

The former leader said they tried staying busy and did solid jobs on whatever they did. The former First Lady's husband shared that they preferred staying home alone when they had quiet moments like birthdays.

The couple enjoyed having a quiet day in their home without visitors and the least emails and phone calls. However, they always savored the thought that there was more work to be done.

When AJC asked the pair what kept them motivated after all this time, Jimmy revealed, "Our family brings us together." He also shared, "We have about 43 grandchildren and great-grandchildren," and confessed:

"Rosa takes care of them mostly, but our interest in our children and grandchildren is one of our motivations."

Despite their age and being together for closer to 100 years, Jimmy still had a loving nickname for his wife. The former President told the publication that he called Rosalynn "beautiful" or "sweetheart."