Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, were spotted at the Plains Peanut Festival in their hometown of Plains, Georgia, on Saturday, according to a tweet from the Carter Center.
The couple, who are the longest-married presidential pair, were seen enjoying a ride through the festival, a week ahead of Carter's 99th birthday.
The Carter Center shared a video of the couple's outing, tweeting, "Beautiful day for President & Mrs. Carter to enjoy a ride through the Plains Peanut Festival! And just a week before he turns 99. Were betting peanut butter ice cream is on the menu for lunch! #JimmyCarter99."
Erikka Bettis Williams, the individual who captured the video, expressed her surprise at the unexpected appearance of the Carters. She told CNN, "Total surprise! The crowd was sort of slow to react at first because they didnt realize they were there. It was such a great surprise and yes, we sang Happy Birthday!
The former president, who will turn 99 on October 1, has been in hospice care since February. Despite overcoming brain cancer in 2015, Carter faced a series of health challenges in 2019, leading to a surgical procedure to alleviate pressure on his brain.
In a recent interview with People, the Carters' grandson, Josh Carter, shared his perspective on his grandfather's health. "Its clear were in the final chapter," he stated. He also revealed that the Carters' Plains home has been visited only by family and caregivers recently.
Josh Carter also provided an update on Rosalynn Carter's health, stating that despite her dementia diagnosis, she remains aware of her family. "She still knows who we are, for the most part that we are family," he said.
Born in Plains, Georgia, Jimmy Carter grew up in the neighboring community of Archery. Prior to his political career, he was a peanut farmer and a Navy lieutenant. The Democrat served as Georgia's governor for one term before his presidency, which spanned from 1977 to 1981.
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