Jimmy Carter to celebrate 99th birthday with digital mosaic from well-wishers

Former president will gather with family on Sunday as messages from admirers inspired by him are displayed publicly in Atlanta

When Jimmy Carter entered hospice in February, his family feared he might have only days left to live. Eight months later, the 39th US president will celebrate his 99th birthday on Sunday.

The Carter Center - the Atlanta-based human rights organization that the former president founded with his wife, Rosalynn, shortly after he left the White House in 1981 - is celebrating the occasion in a unique way. More than 14,000 people have submitted birthday messages and pictures for a digital mosaic honoring Carter's life and legacy, which has recently been displayed at famous Atlanta sites such as Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Hartsfield-Jackson international airport.