Today, former President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter are commemorating their 77th anniversary of marriage.
Few couples ever reach that milestone anniversary, and it increases their record for being the longest-married US presidential couple ever. It speaks much about their enduring love and dedication to one another.
The occasion marks the end of a trying year for both couples. Jimmy, 98, was revealed to be receiving hospice care in February after choosing to «spend his remaining time at home with his family.»
The Carter Center also said on May 30 that Rosalynn, 95, had been given a dementia diagnosis.
The long-married pair is still celebrating their anniversary together despite their current health issues. The Plains, Georgia, couple is reportedly keeping things simple by spending the day at home alone.
The former president Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn are seen here in Atlanta, Georgia, on September 30, 2018, just before the Atlanta Falcons take on the Cincinnati Bengals at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
There have been no new developments regarding the Carters’ health, but it is said that they are having fun together and are frequently visited by loved ones and close friends.
Jimmy and Rosalynn have been married for 77 years, which is amazing, but their romance dates back even longer. They have been close friends for almost their whole lives.
Rosalynn and Jimmy knew each other’s sisters and grew up three miles apart. Even then, it was love at first sight.
In her biography, Rosalynn stated, «I thought he was the most handsome young man I had ever seen.»
When Jimmy Carter returned home from the U.S. Naval Academy years later, his sister fixed them up on a date, and they had a good time. In their native Plains, Georgia, they were united in marriage on July 7, 1946.
After his father passed away in 1953, Jimmy Carter continued serving in the military until he resigned and took over the family farm. However, he quickly started a career in politics and was elected to the Georgia Senate in 1962.
Rosalynn stood by his side the entire time. «We developed a partnership when we were working in the farm supply business, and it continued when Jimmy got involved in politics,» Rosalynn Carter told the AP. «On paper, I was more knowledgeable about the company than he was. He would follow my recommendations.
In 1976, Jimmy Carter defeated incumbent Gerald Ford to become Georgia’s governor and then the 39th President of the United States. Rosalynn supported her husband’s programs as first lady and championed the cause of mental health awareness.
The Carters kept up their amazing humanitarian activities after Carter left office. After being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Jimmy Carter founded the Carter Center to advance and promote human rights. Rosalynn has persisted in supporting a variety of topics, including mental health.The pair is also well known for their continued assistance to the charitable organization Habitat for Humanity. Jimmy and Rosalynn continued to work on housing projects for those in need far into their 90s.
They remained in love despite everything. According to KDVR, Carter declared that marrying Rosalynn was the finest thing he had ever done. That was the apex of my existence, I said.
Jimmy gave his marriage credit for keeping him alive all these years since both of them lived well into their 90s.
«I think the best explanation for that is to marry the best spouse: someone who will take care of you, engage with you, and do things to challenge you and keep you alive and interested in life,» he said to People in 2019. «We have lived a happy life as a couple.»
