Read the Letter George HW Bush Wrote After the Death of His 3-Year-Old Daughter
As the nation continues to mourn the death of George H.W. Bush, many people are finding comfort in the fact that both he and his wife, who passed away in April, are reunited with their daughter Robin.
Robin’s death was an incredibly impactful moment of the Bush family’s life; she passed away in 1953 after a battle with leukemia when she was only 3 years old.
The Bush Library tweeted that the family was “deeply impacted” by Robin’s death and that her death motivated George and Barbara Bush to fight cancer “for the rest of their lives.”
The tweet also included a precious photo of Robin sitting in her father’s lap.
President and Mrs. Bush were deeply impacted by the death of their daughter Robin, who succumbed to leukemia at the age of three. For the rest of their lives, helping to fight cancer was one of the many great causes driving George and Barbara Bush. #remembering41 pic.twitter.com/nQDJ1chijb
— Bush Library (@Bush41Library) December 1, 2018
In the summer of 1958, Bush wrote a poetic letter to his mother detailing how Robin’s presence was still felt even years after her death.
A recording of the letter, read by Barbara, was recently shared to remind people across the country just how loving and caring of a father President Bush was.
“There is about our house a need. We need some soft blonde hair to offset those crew cuts. We need a dollhouse to stand firm against our forts and racquets and thousand baseball cards,” he wrote. “We need someone who’s afraid of frogs. We need a little one who can kiss without leaving egg or jam or gum. We need a girl.”
“We had one once — she’d fight and cry and play and make her way, just like the rest. But there was about her a certain softness. She was patient. Her hugs were a just little less wiggly.”
Listen to Barbara Bush read #Bush41’s letter to his mother about their daughter Robin who died of leukemia at age 3. President Bush will be buried next to to his wife and daughter on Thursday. Another selection from “All The Best” ⬇️ #Remembering41 pic.twitter.com/GzcC6y4rt3
— Bush Foundation (@Bush41) December 2, 2018
He continued, “But she is still with us. We need her and yet we have her. We can’t touch her and yet we can feel her. We hope she’ll stay in our house for a long, long time.”
One touching tribute to President Bush was created by editorial cartoonist Marshall Ramsey and depicted President Bush standing next to his wife with Robin holding both of their hands.
In the cartoon Barbara tells Bush, “We waited for you.”
Jenna Bush Hagar, his granddaughter, shared the cartoon and reflected on a conversation she once had with him.
After telling Bush Hagar that he was looking forward to his death, she asked him why. His response shows that his love for Robin never diminished or waivered.
According to Bush Hagar, he said, “Well, when I die, I’m going to be reunited with the people I’ve lost. I hope I see Robin, and I hope I see my mom. I haven’t yet figured out if it will be Robin as the three year old that she was, this kind of chubby, vivacious child or if she’ll come as a middle-aged woman, an older woman… I hope she’s the three year old.”
Bush will be buried Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018, next to his wife and Robin in College Station, Texas.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
