Plains, Georgia, celebrated Jimmy Carter's 100th birthday yesterday, when its home town hero became the only US president to reach the centennial mark.
Carter's longevity - he announced he was going into hospice care more than 19 months ago - has defied all expectations.
The former peanut farmer and onetime Georgia governor, known for a strong sense of modest decency, returned post-presidency to the rural hamlet - with a population of approximately 600 - and has remained a steady and celebrated presence there since.
No longer regularly appearing in public - his last trip out was to see Independence Day fireworks in July the Democratic ex-president was to spend his birthday in the home he and his late wife Rosalynn built in Plains in the '60s.
It was to include a lunch with about 20 members of his extended family, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
"We are thrilled that the president from this little town is going to be the only president to ever live to be 100 years old," said Jill Stuckey, superintendent of the National Park Service's Jimmy Carter historical site and longtime family friend.
She spoke from Plains High School, where Carter graduated in 1941 and which now serves as the visitors' centre for the national park that features sites from his early life, such as the nearby peanut farm where he grew up.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Kriel's Springbok dream is still alive
Bulls utility back David Kriel's dream of playing for the Springboks is still alive and kicking as he targets another strong season for his franchise in the United Rugby Championship (URC) and Champions Cup.
Proteas wrap up ODI series in style
Middle-order batter Tristan Stubbs made an international breakthrough yesterday, compiling his maiden century as the Proteas men's team closed out a superb day for South Africa's national cricket sides.
Broos is at ease with PSL stance
Bafanal Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has praised the Premier Soccer League for allowing him more time to prepare his squad for their two 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Group K qualifiers against Congo-Brazzaville.
Bayern visit bogey side Frankfurt
Bayern Munich travel to bogey side Eintracht Frankfurt tomorrow looking to rebound having dropped points twice in the space of a week.
Valjalo on home turf to defend title
The date has been set for South Africa's premier Skateboarding contest where the country's best skaters will battle it out to see who will be crowned event champions.
Muzi ready for Kranji challenge
Joburg Spring Challenge races have attracted top fields.
Stories from the dot-com era
Some compare the high prices of today’s tech giants to the pricing in the stock market back then.
'We don't want to die'
Over 1000 people killed and hundreds of thousands more flee their homes.
Heart of nation at stake
Can a pledge to protect reproductive rights help Kamala Harris become the first woman to win the White Abortion has never been so close to the heart of an American presidential election, but this is the first to be held after access to the procedure was banned or restricted across much of the country, following a landmark Supreme Court ruling.
Kim ‘ready to nuke all'
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said his country would use nuclear weapons \"without hesitation\" if attacked by the South and ally the United States, state media reported yesterday.
