Society

Former First Lady Barbara Bush at home in comfort care

By
Monday, April 16, 2018
Prayers and support continue to pour in for former First Lady Barbara Bush.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Former first lady Barbara Bush is receiving comfort care at home and is no longer seeking medical treatment.

A source close to the Bush family tells ABC News she is suffering from heart and respiratory failure. She's recently been in and out of the hospital.

Since the news about her failing health was made public Sunday afternoon, many Houstonians have offered prayers and support.

A common word has been used to describe Mrs. Bush: humble.

Many have said she's a mighty presence, but at the same time, she and husband President George H.W. Bush are regular people.

In fact, Mrs. Bush's condition is top of mind for workers at Molina's Cantina on Westheimer, where the Bushes have been customers for years.

"Very powerful people and they come into the restaurant just like anybody else. They're just two regular people and they don't look at you any different. You feel that that they're approachable and you can talk to them, and wait on them, and you feel comfortable doing it," said Maria Sanchez, manager at Molina's Cantina.

Mrs. Bush is also close friends with Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale. He speaks highly of her, telling ABC13, she's an inspiration and a force for good.

"God bless you and God bless you for all you've done for all of us. She's been an inspiration for my family. Some of the things we do in my family are modeled off the Bush family and modeled off her leadership. Been an inspiration for years. Just an incredible person who led an incredible life for good," said McIngvale.

Former CIA director George Bush and his wife, Barbara, smile and shake hands with supporters as Bush left a Concord hotel ballroom in Concord on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 1980.AP
George Bush is sworn in as new director of the Central Intelligence Agency by Supreme Court Associate Justice Potter StewartAP
Former First Lady Barbara Bush smiles during a light moment Thursday, Oct. 19, 2000, at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in PhiladelphiaAP
April 13, 1971AP
Barbara Bush talks with former president George H. W. Bush during a major league baseball game between the San Diego Padres and Houston Astros, Sunday, April 17, 2011AP
First Lady Barbara Bush holds an infant identified as Donavan during a visit to Grandma's House in Washington, March 22, 1989AP
George Bush, candidate for the U.S. Senate, gets returns by phone in Houston, June 6, 1964 as his wife Barbara, beams her pleasure at the news.June 6, 1964AP
First Lady Barbara Bush prepares to throw the first pitch during the opening ceremony in the second game of the World Series in Cincinnati, Oct. 17, 1990AP
Barbara Bush campaigns for her son, Texas Gov. George W. Bush Saturday Nov. 4, 2000 at Bishops Court Retirement Center in Green Bay.AP
First Lady, Barbara Bush leaves the steps of Marine One, as the Bush family arrives at the White House in Washington July 23, 1989AP
Barbara Bush walks off the field after taking part in the ceremonial first pitch before Game 3 of the ALDS between the K.C. Royals and Houston Astros, Oct. 11, 2015, in Houston.AP
In this 1955 file photo, George H.W. Bush, left, and Barbara Bush pose with their son, George W. Bush, in Rye, N.Y.AP
First Lady Barbara Bush pokes fun at herself, in Kennebunkport, Maine, by crossing her eyes for reporters who were visiting the summer White House, Aug. 23, 1989AP
Mrs. Barbara Bush, wife of Vice-President George Bush, throws out the first ball, Saturday, April 27, 1985AP
First lady Barbara Bush looks out over Hopi Point during her first visit to the Grand Canyon, April 13, 1991AP
First lady Barbara Bush dons a giant sombrero which was given to her by her daughter Noel after performing with a mariachi band, Thursday, Jan. 19, 1989 in WashingtonAP
Barbara Bush holds hands with students as they sing "We Shall Overcome" during a Black History program at Scott Montgomery Elem. in Washington, D.C., Friday, Feb. 17, 1989AP
Former first lady Barbara Bush smiles during a light moment Thursday, Oct. 19, 2000, at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in PhiladelphiaAP
Mrs.Barbara Bush shown April 13,1971AP
Barbara Bush takes part in a Pledge of Allegiance with students at the W.W. Ashurst Elementary School at the Quantico Marine Corps Base in Quantico, Va., April 21, 1989.AP
First Lady Barbara Bush, acts out the story Where the Wild Things Are with a group of youngsters at the Kennedy Center, Wednesday, July 25, 1990, Washington, D.C.AP
First Lady Barbara Bush holds results of a presidential poll presented to her by pre-schoolers during a visit to a thrift store in Alexandria, Va., Feb. 3, 1989.AP
George Bush sits on the couch with his wife Barbara and their children in 1964.none
Barbara Pierce, the future Barbara Bush, is shown in her graduation photo from Ashley Hall, a finishing school in Charleston, S.C., in 1943.AP
Barbara Bush throws out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 4 of the NLCS between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Houston Astros in Houston, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2004AP
President Obama shares a laugh with former first lady Barbara Bush at the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on the campus of SMU in Dallas, April 25, 2013.AP
Former First Lady Barbara Bush reads the children's book "Little Beaver and The Echo" at the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital, July 7, 2004, in Portland, Maine.AP
Mrs. George Bush walking on New York's Park Avenue, April 13, 1971AP
Former first lady Barbara Bush touches the hair of her husband President George H.W. Bush as they arrive for the premiere of HBO's new documentary on his life, June 12, 2012.AP
First lady Barbara Bush, stands with her oldest son, George Bush, at her house on Aug. 19, 1989, in Kennebunkport, Maine.AP
First Lady Barbara Bush poses with her dog Millie in 1990AP
First lady Barbara Bush, right, stands with her oldest son, George Bush, at her house on Saturday, Aug. 19, 1989, in Kennebunkport, Maine.AP
First lady Barbara Bush, in an interview with the Associated Press at the White House in Washington, Feb. 3, 1989AP
Republican vice-Presidential candidate and wife, Barbara are all smiles after casting their vote in the general election at their Houston precinct, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 1980AP
British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher pets Vice President Bush's dog, Sept. 29, 1983 at the Bush residence in Washington. Barbara Bush, wife of the Vice President looks onAP
Rep. and Mrs. George Bush are shown in Houston as a network television program predicted his defeat for the U.S. Senate against Lloyd Bentsen on Nov. 3, 1970AP
Former President George H. Bush and his wife Barbara Bush arrive before a men's NCAA Final Four semifinal college basketball game Saturday, April 2, 2011, in HoustonAP
First lady Barbara Bush points towards the White House balcony where she was waiting for her husband as he returned home from a day trip from Columbia, S.C., Feb. 15, 1989AP
On a sunny but cold day, Barbara Bush strolls on the White House South Lawn in Washington with the family dog, Millie, Feb. 8, 1989.AP
Barbara Bush looks out over Hopi Point during her first visit to the Grand Canyon to kick off a celebration for the 75th anniversary of the National Park Service, April 13, 1991.AP
President Gerald Ford, right, and first lady Betty Ford, visit with George Bush, chief of the United States Liaison office, and his wife Barbara in Peking, China, Dec. 4, 1975.AP
Mrs. George Bush walking on New York's Park Avenue, April 13, 1971AP


Barbara, wife of former President George H.W. Bush, served as first lady during his presidency from 1989 to 1993.

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Mr. and Mrs. Bush have been a fixture in the Houston community during their retirement years.

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Barbara is currently the nation's oldest living First Lady.

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