Jeff Carter, son of former President Jimmy Carter, battling Parkinson's disease

The families of American presidents -- past and present -- tend to be the subject of much public interest and speculation, but fortunately, there are some realms of their lives that are permitted to remain private.

Such has been the case with a significant health diagnosis with which former President Jimmy Carter's youngest son, Jeff Carter, has been grappling, but now, the family's silence on the matter has come to an end, as People reports.

Diagnosis revealed

The former president's family has been in the news recently due to the milestone 100^th birthday of its patriarch, but amid all the media coverage, Jeff's medical status also came to the forefront.

Josh Carter, grandson of Jimmy Carter, revealed that his father Jeff, age 72, has been living with his Parkinson's diagnosis for a substantial period of time, but had chosen not to go public with the situation.

Josh, age 40, told People, “We know that [Parkinson's] is a one-way street,” acknowledging the degenerative nature of the illness” and also noting that his father is “not very open about it because he doesn't want to be the face of anything. It's just, Parkinson's sucks. It's a hard disease. It's a hard diagnosis.”

“My dad is currently living by himself, he's able to take care of himself, he's independent, but he built this house knowing that one day he's going to need more help,” he added, referencing Jeff's home of roughly 10 years, which is equipped with a host of wheelchair-accessible features.

Adopting a pragmatic approach to the challenges that lie ahead, Josh stated, “We're going into this with eyes wide open knowing that we're going to have more and more responsibilities going on, and it's just got to be a part of life.”

Unwavering commitment endures

As People noted, the Carter family has a long history of sticking close together when times are tough, seeing one another through a range of health crises and the inevitable difficulties that come with age.

Jeff himself has served as a devoted caregiver to his mother-in-law Dorothy Davis, who suffered from stroke-related memory loss, and he has also assisted his family with the financial and emotional toll stemming from his grandson's rare intestinal disorder.

Perhaps most visible to the country, however, was Jeff's dedication to helping his parents, former President Jimmy Carter and late former first lady Rosalynn Carter, as they entered hospice care, with Mrs. Carter passing away late last year.

Jeff, together with his siblings, made the decision at that point that someone from the family would be present in the home with the couple at all times, a pledge that was -- and continues to be fulfilled.

“Surrounded by family”

Josh Carter's revelation about his father's condition is a profound reminder of the fragility of life, but his recent comments about his grandfather's centennial birthday celebration also serve as an affirmation of the power of family even during trying times.

As Southern Living reported, Josh's account of the former president's big day, which took place on Oct. 1, was one of enduring love and respect for a man who dedicated much of his adult life to serving his country and one that was even punctuated by a military flyover.

“He had a houseful of his kids, his grandkids, his great grandkids,” Josh said, adding that the former president “was surrounded by family, he was told that he was loved, he knew that he was loved,” hopefully fully able to bask in the legacy of a life well lived.