Former President George H.W. Bush discharged from hospital, spokesman says

Former President George H.W. Bush was discharged from a hospital in Maine, according to a spokesman.

Jim McGrath, Bush's post White House spokesman and speechwriter, tweeted the news.

McGrath added that Bush was released around 12pm EST and went straight home to Kennebunkport to continue his recovery. He is in a hard neck brace but not the "halo" variety.

Bush broke a vertebrae in his neck during a fall Wednesday. The incident happened at Bush's home in Maine.

Bush's office released a statement last week about the former president's condition:

"President Bush 41 remains hospitalized in fair condition at Maine Medical Center in Portland following a fall yesterday at his home in Kennebunkport in which he fractured his C2 vertebrae. The president never lost consciousness, and the injury he sustained neither impinged on his spine nor resulted in any neurological deficits. He continues to have normal use of his limbs. The plan is to let this injury heal on its own without surgery. President Bush will remain at Maine Medical Center to be fitted for a brace to immobilize the injured area, to continue physical therapy, and for further evaluation. We do not discuss timelines for discharge, but do not believe this will be a prolonged recovery period at MMC."

McGrath said at the time of the president's hospitalization that he was admitted to Portland Hospital out of an abundance of caution.

According to Jim McGrath's Twitter feed, Barbara Pierce Bush declared: "A slip and fall is not going to take out a World War II pilot."