Jimmy Carter says he beat cancer — but his grandson's death is a fresh trauma even as the 39th President can no longer stand to meet visitors!
The ailing former Prez announced the sudden death of 28-year-old grandson Jeremy Carter to fellow members of Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia, early Sunday morning.
That was just weeks after Carter announced that recent MRI scans had shown no trace of the brain cancer that he began battling in August!
News reports have said the death of his nephew made Carter 25 minutes late for the Sunday school session that he regularly teaches in the small Georgia town — but the class has also become a tourist attraction for his admirers, as Jimmy's friends fear the 91-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner is facing his final days!
"These tourists have as just as worried about Jimmy's health," said one local churchgoer.
"Jimmy loves that people come to see him, but simply teaching the Sunday school class can be tough enough on him!"
To try and protect their famous parishioner, the church officials have set up an arranged meet-and-greet at the end of services each Sunday.
"Jimmy now has to sit down with his wife Rosalynn, and all the people just visiting the church line up and take turns standing next to them in their chairs," said the longtime church member.
"Those two always manage to keep smiling, but it's a rule that Jimmy can't talk to the visitors or sign any autographs.
"He's just too weak — and now he has the sudden death of Jeremy wearing on his soul!"
