A member of former President Jimmy Carter’s family has given an update on his health, as the aging politician sees out the rest of his days in hospice care.
On Sunday, Carter’s niece, Leanne Smith revealed that he was having a “good day” and that the former chief executive still has some fight in him, as reported by Fox News.
Smith said Carter is still eating regularly and conversing with those around them, even requesting some of her cheese and broccoli soup.
“In fact, about 30 minutes ago, I got a text. They knew I made broccoli and cheese soup, so before I came to meet with you, I dropped broccoli and cheese soup off to be delivered to the house, because he’s eating and talking … so it is amazing,” Smith stated.
“He’s still got some time in him. I just feel like it.”
The 39th president was diagnosed with cancer back in 2015 and underwent a procedure to remove the cancerous cells from his liver.
While initially given the all-clear later that year, Carter’s health has continued to decline due to his advanced age.
The 98-year-old entered hospice care in mid-February.
The Carter Center announced that the former president “decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instead of additional medical intervention.”
Carter, a Democrat, was elected president in 1976, defeating GOP incumbent Gerald Ford.
He served one tumultuous term before being defeated by Ronald Reagan in the 1980 election.
Family and well-wishers were given the chance to pay homage to Carter and his legacy during a service at Carter’s Maranatha Baptist Church in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, according to The Associated Press.
Kim Fuller, another one of Carter’s nieces, emotionally referenced quotes from the former president, who has become revered for his humanitarian efforts.
“I have one life and one chance to make it count for something. I’m free to choose that something … My faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I can, whenever I can, for as long as I can,” Fuller quoted from her uncle.
“Maybe if we think about it, maybe it’s time to pass the baton … who picks it up, I have no clue. I don’t know. Because this baton’s going to be a really big one.”
Georgia residents like James Culbertson drove all the way from Atlanta to pay his respects to the dying statesman.
“I brought my sons down here today to pay respect for President Carter and teach them a little bit about how great a humanitarian he was, especially in the later stages of his life,” Culbertson said.
Suzanne Smith, a member of the Maranatha congregation told Fox about her thoughts on Carter.
“One thing that any person that has come to this church in the last decades will tell you is that they have felt warmly greeted, they have felt welcome here,” she began.
“And that’s a message that the church has, that every person who is working here is welcome here, no matter your background, and, and that’s the lesson that Jimmy Carter has taught as well, that he was really a president for everyone.”
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
