Former President George H. W. Bush recently shaved his head to support a two-year-old boy with Leukemia. Patrick’s father is a member of Bush’s Secret Service detail, and Bush decided to help raise awareness about the boy’s condition and money to pay for his treatments.
On Friday morning the former POTUS sat down with his granddaughter Jenna Bush Hager on The Today Show.
Bush tells Jenna, “A lot of the agents shaved their head, I said, ‘Well why not me?’ It was the right thing to do.”
Speaking of the Secret Service specifically Bush said, “They’re a wonderful group of people, They’re like family with us.”
Secret Service members are not allowed to speak publicly, but it has been reported that, after viewing the former President’s gesture, the boy’s mother wept.
The picture of President Bush with a shaved head quickly went viral with hundreds of news agencies sharing the photograph and young Patrick’s story.
Patrick’s mom and dad were able to released a statement in which they write:
“We are humbled and honored by the support and generosity that President and Mrs. Bush and our Secret Service family have shown towards our son… and are so very grateful for the outpouring of love and support from all over the country.”
When Mrs. Bush saw her husband’s photo with shaved head in tow, she says:
“I was shocked, surprised and thrilled. But I think he looks beautiful and looks younger.”
Mr. and Mrs. Bush lost their first daughter Robin to Leukemia at the age of 3.
The men of Bush’s Secret Service detail have since setup a charity website called Patrick’s Pals . Any donations to that website will be used to pay for young Patrick’s very expensive cancer treatments.
Here is George Bush’s full interview with Jenna Hager Bush:
What do you think of George H.W. Bush shaving his head to help little Patrick through his difficult time?
