Rev. Jesse Jackson, 84, remains hospitalized as he is treated for unstable blood pressure while managing progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a rare neurodegenerative disorder confirmed last year.

His condition briefly worsened Saturday night with a significant drop in blood pressure, but he has since shown periods of responsiveness and is now breathing on his own without life-support medication.

Family members say he has even expressed wishes about charitable efforts, including a call for churches to prepare food baskets for the holiday season.

Jackson has lived with neurological illness for more than a decade, initially diagnosed as Parkinson’s disease before PSP was confirmed, CNN has reported.

A historic civil rights leader and founder of Operation PUSH and the Rainbow Coalition, Jackson continues to receive close medical monitoring as his condition shows signs of improvement.