At his Georgia home, former US President Jimmy Carter will stop receiving medical treatment and transition to hospice care, his foundation announced on Saturday.
The Carter Center stated that Mr. Carter had made the decision to "spend his remaining time at home with his family," but did not provide any additional information.
Recent health problems for Mr. Carter, 98, included a melanoma that metastasized to his liver and brain.
He served as the nation's oldest living president from 1977 to 1981.
Mr. Carter faced numerous foreign policy difficulties while serving as president, and the Democrat lost to Ronald Reagan in the race for reelection.
"His family and medical staff are fully behind him. The Carter Center issued a statement on Saturday that read, "The Carter family requests privacy during this time and is appreciative of the concern shown by his many admirers.
Patients who are terminally ill may elect to receive hospice care rather than additional medical attention. In the final stages of a patient's life, comfort is more important than continuing treatment.
Jason Carter, a former state senator from Georgia and the grandson of Mr. Carter, tweeted that he had visited "both of my grandparents yesterday. ".
"They are at peace, and their house is as always filled with love. I appreciate all of your kind remarks," he said.
The 75th wedding anniversary of Mr. Carter and his wife Roslyn was observed in 2021. Together, they are parents to four kids.
US President Joe Biden stated in a tweet on Sunday that he and his wife Jill were praying for their "friends Jimmy and Rosalynn.".
In his letter, Mr. Biden said, "We admire you for the resilience and humility you have displayed in trying times. "May God grant you peace as you proceed on your journey with dignity and grace. ".
Born in Georgia in 1924, Mr. Carter entered politics in the 1960s after winning a seat as a state senator. In 1971, he was elected governor of the state.
He defeated Republican President Gerald Ford to become the 39th head of state five years later.
However, issues for Mr. Carter as president quickly grew worse.
He found it difficult to convince Americans to accept the necessary austerity measures at home, where an oil crisis had led to high unemployment and inflation.
The signing of the Camp David Accords in 1978, through which Egypt formally recognized the state of Israel, was the pinnacle of the Carter administration. He also ratified a document that gave Panama back control of the Panama Canal.
However, the last Iranian Shah was overthrown in 1979, and as a result, 66 Americans were held hostage in Tehran. In response, Mr. Carter severed diplomatic ties with Iran and enacted a trade embargo.
However, the public did not think he was being tough enough, and as the US hostages were held for 444 days, his popularity plummeted. After an attempt to rescue the hostages ended in failure and eight US military personnel died, his approval ratings suffered further damage.
Iran then postponed the hostages' release until after Ronald Reagan took office.
Mr. Carter has continued to be involved since leaving the White House, working on humanitarian projects with his Carter Center.
In 1994, he led a delegation that attempted to persuade Haiti's military leaders to cede power, and in Bosnia, he mediated a cease-fire that helped open the door for a future peace agreement.
He later developed a global reputation for his efforts to advance human rights and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.
He co-founded The Elders with Nelson Mandela, an association of world leaders dedicated to advancing human rights and promoting peace.
He also took part in annual trips to help build homes with the charity Habitat for Humanity and traveled widely, well into his early nineties.
However, the former president has recently struggled with a number of health issues. Mr. Carter underwent liver surgery to remove a small cancerous mass in August 2015.
The following year, he declared that he was done with treatment because an experimental medication had wiped out all evidence of cancer.
He frequently displays a remarkable calmness when addressing his health issues.
In 2015, he declared, "I'm completely at ease with whatever comes.". "I've led a fulfilling, exciting, and adventurous life. ".
In the small Georgia town of Plains, where he and his wife were born between the First World War and the Great Depression, and where they returned when he left office, Mr. Carter celebrated his most recent birthday in October.
As the news of Mr. Carter's passing spread on Saturday night, a number of prominent US politicians, including Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, and Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock, expressed their condolences to his family.
Senator Warnock tweeted, "God is surely walking with him in this delicate time of transition.". May he, Rosalynn, and the entire Carter family find comfort in that peace and feel our love surrounding them.
. "
