For the first time in American history, a president lived to see his 100th birthday.

Former president Jimmy Carter, who turns 100 on Tuesday, has lived nearly 44 years since his term ended — a longer post-presidency than any other.

His lifetime has overlapped with that of 17 other presidents so far: William Howard Taft (the nation’s 27th president) was still alive when Carter was born and Calvin Coolidge was the president.

Vice President Kamala Harris, a fellow Democrat whom Carter is backing, would be the 18th come Jan. 20 were she to win the election.

Born before the Great Depression in Plains, Ga., Carter served in the Navy and rose from a peanut farmer to governor and then president. He served one term from 1977 to 1981, losing his reelection bid to Ronald Reagan. Carter entered hospice care in February 2023 and has defied odds and expectations since.

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The nation’s highest office, with its heavy responsibilities and decision-making pressure, is known to rapidly age its occupant.

Carter joins America’s small-but-growing group of centenarians, just 0.03 percent of the population, according to the Pew Research Center.