Jimmy Carter's Youngest Son, Jeff, Has Been Quietly Living with Parkinson's Disease (Exclusive)

Jeff Carter, the youngest of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter’s three sons, led a quiet life with Parkinson’s disease.

Jeff, 72, has known about his diagnosis for some time, his son Josh tells PEOPLE, but has refrained from making public statements.

“We know that [Parkinson’s] is a one-way street,” says Josh, 40. “My dad lives on his own right now, he can take care of himself, he’s independent, but he built his house knowing that one day he’ll need more help. ”

Jeff moved into a new home almost ten years ago and made sure it was wheelchair accessible in case he ever needed it. It’s the kind of foresight that comes with being part of a family that has decades of caregiving experience.

“We’re going into this with our eyes wide open knowing that we’re going to have more and more responsibilities and that it just has to be a part of life,” says Josh.

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Jimmy, Rosalynn and Jeff Carter at the 1976 Democratic National Convention.

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Jeff — whose wife, Annette Davis Carter, died in 2021 — has a wealth of experience as a caregiver for loved ones, as do many people in the Carter family.

His mother-in-law, Dorothy Davis, had previously struggled with severe memory loss after a stroke, prompting the entire family to step in as caregivers. His grandson, Jonathan—Josh’s youngest son—was diagnosed with a rare and chronic intestinal disorder as an infant that took a financial and emotional toll on the family. And when Jeff’s parents, Jimmy and Rosalynn, were admitted to the hospital in 2023, he and his siblings agreed that a loved one would stay with the former first couple at all times.

The Carter family visits each other. From left to right: Jimmy, Charlie, Jonathan, Rosalynn, Josh, Jeff and Sarah Carter.

Melissa Montgomery

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Josh revealed his father’s diagnosis during a panel discussion with PEOPLE Editor-in-Chief Wendy Naugle in celebration of the United Nations’ International Day of Older Persons on Monday, Oct. 7, saying Jeff continued to support Jimmy through more than a year and a half of the former president’s hospice care , his ability to visit is limited due to his own medical planning.

Jeff Carter wipes tears from his eyes as he leaves the funeral of his mother, Rosalynn Carter, on November 29, 2023.

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Josh sat down with PEOPLE for a one-on-one chat moments after the event, where he offered more context about his father’s experience.

“He’s not really open about it because he doesn’t want to be the face of anything,” Josh says. “It’s just, Parkinson’s sucks. It’s a hard disease. A hard diagnosis.”

All about the children and grandchildren of Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter

Rosalynn, Jimmy and Jeff Carter talk with then-Lowe CEO Robert Niblock at a Habitat for Humanity construction site.

R. Diamond/WireImage

Jeff was able to control his symptoms with deep brain stimulation therapy, which required two battery-powered electrodes to be surgically implanted in specific areas of his brain that control movement. The electrodes come with a remote control.

“He can literally control his brain with his iPhone, which is wild,” Josh explains. “Without his therapy, he basically can’t do anything. And then when he turns his therapy back on with his phone, then he can get up, he can walk around, he can hold a drink without spilling it, he can eat, he can communicate. It’s a nocturnal and day shift.”

Technology has allowed Jeff to spend more “quality” time with his family. “He can play with my kids, he can play with the other grandkids,” Josh says. “So it’s really lucky to be in this wave of technology.”

Jeff had three sons with Annette – Josh, Jeremy and James – and now has four grandchildren. His middle son, Jeremy, died suddenly in 2015 at the age of 28.

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Josh, Sarah, Charlie and Jonathan Carter.

Josh Carter

Josh, now a spokesperson for the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers, spoke openly about his family’s health challenges and the toll that caring for a loved one can take. He continues the legacy of his late grandmother, Rosalynn, who spent much of her career advocating for family caregivers to have more support.

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After Josh’s youngest son was diagnosed with very early inflammatory bowel disease—a potentially fatal condition that is now under control—he and his wife, Sarah, founded The VEO-IBD Foundation, “the first and only organization dedicated to parents and caregivers of children with this disease. ”

A new documentary clip about Josh’s foster care experience premiered at the UN event on Monday, where he talks more about his journey. The video is part of a months-long national awareness campaign by Washington, D.C.-based public station WETA, and was produced in collaboration with Bradley Cooper’s production company Lea Pictures and Ark Media.

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Source: HIS Education