Jimmy Carter mourning loss of grandson

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter is mourning the loss of his 28-year-old grandson, Jeremy Carter.
The retired politician announced the news while teaching a Sunday school class at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia on Sunday (20Dec15), according to local newspaper The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
He arrived about 25 minutes late and told the congregation that Jeremy had been feeling ill earlier that morning and had taken a nap at his family’s home. However, when his mother, Annette Carter, went to check on him, his heart had stopped and Jeremy was subsequently taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The cause of his death has yet to be revealed.
Despite the loss of his grandson just hours before, Carter encouraged churchgoers to “be filled with a sense of joy and thanksgiving,” adding, “I should be joyful and thankful to God for giving me both life and freedom.”
The sad news comes weeks after Carter, 91, stood in front of the same congregation to reveal he had won his battle with cancer.
The church’s Pastor, Jeremy Shoulta, lauded Carter’s dedication and spirit during the past few months of trials and tribulations, telling The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “His decision to come teach Sunday school is indicative of his character, how important this church is to him, teaching is to him. The past few months have been a very emotional time for this church. There have been moments of great joy, of sadness, of grief. The church has done all it can to lift the Carters up during this difficult time.”