George H.W. Bush 'Appears to Be Recovering' in Hospital After Blood Infection
Former President George Herbert Walker Bush was hospitalized Sunday due to a blood infection, though according to a spokesperson he is responding well to treatment.
A statement released by the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation on Monday announced that the 93-year-old 41st president of the United States had been admitted into the Houston Methodist Hospital on Sunday morning.
"[Bush] is responding to treatments and appears to be recovering," noted the statement, adding that they will "issue additional updates as events warrant."
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Bush's hospitalization came the day after the funeral for his wife of 73 years, former first lady Barbara Pierce Bush, who died on April 17.
Held at St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Houston on Saturday, the funeral drew approximately 1,500 attendees and included several notable figures such as former Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton.
During the service, former Florida governor and Republican presidential hopeful Jeb Bush spoke about how his mother talked to him about Jesus Christ in their last meeting before she died.
"Jeb, I believe in Jesus and He is my savior," she told him when he asked her about her feelings on death. "I don't want to leave your dad but I know I'll be in a beautiful place."
Born in Milton, Massachusetts, in 1924, George H.W. Bush served as a U.S. Navy pilot during World War II, flying 58 combat missions.
In January 1945, he married Barbara Pierce. The couple had six children, including former President George W. Bush and former Republican presidential hopeful Jeb Bush.
Moving to Texas to become involved in the oil industry, Bush eventually turned to politics, serving two terms in Congress and a series of high level federal posts including Ambassador to the United Nations and director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
From 1981 to 1989 he served as vice president under President Ronald Reagan before being elected president in 1988. His administration oversaw the end of the Cold War and the first Gulf War, known as Operation Desert Storm.
In 2012, Bush was diagnosed with vascular Parkinsonism, a condition similar to Parkinson's that left him wheelchair bound.
When Bush's wife, Barbara, died, the former president was by her side, a spokesperson said.
"He held her hand all day today and was at her side when [she] left this good earth," stated former chief of staff Jean Becker, as quoted by the New York Post.
