Politics

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter hospitalized after fall

Published on

October 22, 2019

Jimmy Carter is seen in an interview on October 8, 2019, after falling at his home and receiving 14 stitches above his eye (Credit: MSNBC)

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter was hospitalized with a minor pelvic fracture after falling at his home in the state of Georgia, his spokeswoman says, adding that the former leader is in “good spirits.” It is his second fall in less than a month, and the third fall this year.

The latest accident happened on Monday evening at the 95-year-old former president’s home in Plains, a town about 44 miles (71 kilometers) southwest of Columbus. He was treated for a minor pelvic fracture at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus and remains there for observation.

“He is in good spirits and is looking forward to recovering at home,” his spokeswoman, Deanna Congileo, said on Tuesday morning.

Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, where Carter teaches Sunday school, said the former president will be unable to teach this week because of his injuries. “We welcome and encourage you to still come worship with us as his niece Kim Fuller fills in for him. She will deliver a message just as inspiring as her uncle,” the church said on Facebook.

Carter also fell at his home on October 6 and received 14 stitches above his eye, but still traveled to Nashville, Tennessee, to work with volunteers to build Habitat for Humanity homes. Carter also fell at his home on May 13 and underwent surgery to repair a broken hip.

Carter, a Democrat, served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981 and was awarded the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize for his work through the Carter Center. The former president is well-known for his charity work and peace efforts since leaving office.

Even though Carter has been hospitalized multiple times, he remains in good health for his age. In 2015, the former president underwent surgery to remove a tumor in his liver and was treated for spots of melanoma on his brain.

In March, Carter became the longest-living president in U.S. history, surpassing the record held by President George H.W. Bush, who died in November 2018 at the age of 94. Carter, who was born in 1924, turned 95 on October 1.