President Donald Trump sent his well-wishes to former President Jimmy Carter on Monday after Carter fell and broke his hip.
The current president took to Twitter on Monday after news broke that one of his predecessors was in the hospital. President Carter fell and broke his hip on Monday in his home in Plains, Georgia. The 94-year-old was on his way to go turkey hunting, and is expected to make a full recovery, according to a report by CBS News.
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“Wishing former President Jimmy Carter a speedy recovery from his hip surgery earlier today,” President Trump wrote. “He was in such good spirits when we spoke last month – he will be fine!”
President Carter’s doctors and representatives said much the same in public statements on Monday. The former leader reportedly went in for surgery immediately, and his surgeons said that the operation was successful. He is “recovering comfortably” in a hospital in Americus, Georgia.
President Carter’s wife of more than 72 years, Rosalynn, was by his side in the hospital. Members of his team joked that he was more concerned with missing the last week of turkery hunting season than anything else.
“President Carter said his main concern is that turkey season ends this week, and he has not reached his limit,” the statement said. “He hopes the State of Georgia will allow him to rollover the unused limit to next year.”
While some may be surprised to hear that Carter is still hunting at his age, the former president is surprisingly healthy and active. Back in 2017, he was featured on The Outdoor Channel on an episode of Tyler Jordan’s Realtree Outdoors show.
“94 years old and bustin’ beaks!” Jordan wrote on Instagram at the time.
President Carter was the 39th president of the United States, in office from 1977 to 1981. Since then, he has continued his work as a world leader, earning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. He is the oldest living president today, just a few months younger than former President George H.W. Bush, who passed away in November.
In addition to hunting, President Carter is extremely active for his age. According to a report by PEOPLE he has an extensive daily exercise routine including swimming and riding on a Trikke. He is also known to take part in Habitat for Humanity construction efforts, building homes with his own hands to this day.
“He told me many years ago that he wanted to die with his boots on, that he did not want to sit in a rocking chair and wait to die of pancreatic cancer like [his father, brother and two sisters]. You’ll see him out and about I’m sure,” said his cousin Betty Pope in 2015.
