Jimmy Carter Told Family He Was 'Ready' to See Rosalynn Again in His Final Days, Grandson Says

Mar. 15, 2025

Former President Jimmy Carter, right, and his wife Rosalynn.Photo:David Goldman/AP

David Goldman/AP

Former PresidentJimmy Carterexpressed in his final days that he was “ready to see” his late wife,Rosalynn Carter, again.

During the funeral, former Georgia state Sen.Jason Carter— grandson of Jimmy Carter and current chair of The Carter Center board of trustees — shared a touching speech about Jimmy, whodied on Sunday, Dec. 29at the age of 100.

Jason, 49, explained that in many ways, his grandfather’s “life is a love story.”

“Of course, it’s a love story about Jimmy and Rosalynn and their 77 years of marriage and service,” he said, acknowledging the president’snotably long marriageto his grandmother,who died on Nov. 19, 2023, at age 96.

“Rest assured that in these last weeks, he told us that he was ready to see her again,” Jason added.

Grandson Jason Carter speaks during the state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter.AP Photo/Ben Curtis

AP Photo/Ben Curtis

By Thursday evening, Jimmy will beburied beside Rosalynnatthe home they builtin Plains, Ga.

The former president and first lady shared a storybook romance that began when they were just kids — Rosalynn, a newborn, and Jimmy, 3 years old and visiting the hospital with his parents.

The former first lady and former president even coined a sweet phrase they shared with each other: “ILYTG.”

“‘I love you the goodest.’ That’s what my mother and daddy used to say back and forth, and I picked it up with Rosa,” Jimmy explained to PEOPLE back in 2014. “Now all our children do the same thing – ILYTG on the phone or in emails. They generally just put the initials.”

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter.Yvonne Hemsey/Liason Agency/Getty

In 2015, Jimmy shared the secret of their longtime marriage.

“Rosalynn has been the foundation for my entire enjoyment of life … First of all, it’s best to choose the right woman, which I did. And secondly, we give each other space to do our own things,” the former president toldCNNat the time. “We try to be reconciled before we go to sleep at night, and try to find everything we can think of that we like to do together. So we have a lot of good times.”

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Jimmy and Rosalynn shared sons John William “Jack,” James Earl “Chip,“Donnel Jeffrey “Jeff"and daughterAmy Carter. Between their four adult children, there are22 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

source: people.com