His spirit is infectious as he speaks about a passion for cricket and rugby. A huge fan of the Hawke's Bay Magpies, he said his favourite player was "pride of Otane" Shannan Chase, "because he's fast".
During a recent hospital visit from the team, where he received, "high fives" and a little black goodie bag, Carter asked players to deliver a message to his hero.
"Say hi to him [Chase] from me".
Spirited and intelligent, the youngster proved his condition was no match for a positive attitude.
"He doesn't argue and is very accepting," his mother Meredith Kingston says.
Carter loved all of his doctors and nurses, who also had a special place in their hearts for the little battler.
Born a twin, he started life with a struggle - arriving 29 weeks premature, weighing in at just 770g after failing to thrive in the womb.
Sister Gabby was small but generally healthy. "She can be a bit bossy sometimes but I love her," Carter said of his twin.
He also had another sister, 5-year-old Holly, who was protective of her older brother and helped out wherever possible.
"They try to take care of me, they do," he said.
Making the most of his time while bedridden - Carter watched Mickey Mouse on Disney Junior, played with toys, siblings and games on the tablet - Carter said his ultimate obsession was building Lego creations.
"I love Lego, it's the best in the world. It's so cool, it is," he said.
Using the HPN system allowed him to attend Waipawa School, in Central Hawke's Bay, about three hours a day.
"If he can do that four times a week, that's huge," Ms Kingston said.
Recently he had 10 days off after a strengthening bone infusion, but was always keen to get back into the classroom.
"It's good to learn - I like to learn about numbers and my goals".
An electric wheelchair was used to avoid fatigue and it was hoped he would soon be able to use it around school grounds.
Always one to look on the bright side, he had mastered a few tricks on the chair and preferred to spend life in the fast lane, ignoring its first two speed settings.
Because of his brittle bones, Carter found too much walking to be very painful. He slept a lot during the day, sometimes catching up on shut-eye from 1pm to 7pm, following a particularly busy day of learning. The condition worsened at night, making for an unsettled sleep.
Meredith and her partner Mark Drake were constantly trying to find ways to manage pain levels and ideally find a cure.
"Starship and the Hawke's Bay Hospital work so well together, they are awesome in trying to find a way forward as well as get through the day-to-day stuff," she said. "He has a very good support system here in Hawke's Bay who are always looking for answers for him."
Carter was one of just 215 patients in Australia and New Zealand living with IF and was kept alive by HPN.
"HPN was gentler, allowed him to put on weight, however it is high-risk for infection so we have to be really careful with that," Ms Kingston said.
His infections were clearing quicker and he looked better. He had a bit more colour but was recently knocked back with a sore throat, which took him out of commission for a few weeks.
While the reality may seem grim, Carter and his family prefer to get on with life.
"He's only ever known this way," Ms Kingston said.
