PLAINS, Ga. — Jeff Carter, the youngest son of former President and first lady Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, has been living with Parkinson’s Disease for “some time,” his son Josh Carter confirmed.
Josh Carter, 40, spoke with PEOPLE about how his father, 72, has been quietly living with the disease, but has not made any public statements about it. He revealed the diagnosis during a panel discussion at the United Nations’ International Day of Older Persons celebration on Monday.
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“We know that [Parkinson’s] is a one-way street,” Josh Carter said. “My dad is currently living by himself, he’s able to take care of himself, he’s independent, but he built his house knowing that one day he’s going to need more help.”
When Jeff Carter moved into a new home, his son says he made sure it was wheelchair-accessible just in case he ever needed to use one.
“We’re going into this with eyes wide open knowing that we’re going to have more and more responsibilities going on, and it’s just got to be a part of life,” Josh Carter said.
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Josh Carter says his father has been able to manage his symptoms with deep brain stimulation therapy, which includes having two battery-powered electrodes surgically implanted into the parts of the brain that manage movement. But his son says the therapy is working.
“He’s able to play with my kids, he’s able to play with his other grandkids,” he said. “So, it’s really fortunate to be in this wave of technology.”
Annette Carter, Jeff Carter’s wife, died in 2021. The couple’s middle son, Jeremy, died suddenly in 2015 at the age of 28.
Just last week, former President Jimmy Carter celebrated his 100th birthday.
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