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JJ Watt breaks silence after death of Barbara Bush

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Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt mourned the death of former first lady Barbara Bush, calling her a “beautiful light in this world” and expressing gratitude for her friendship.

Bush died Tuesday at the age of 92, family spokesman Jim McGrath said. She was reportedly surrounded by her family before passing away in Houston.

Following news of her death, the Texans defensive end, who cultivated a friendship with Bush over the years, released a touching statement via Twitter.

“Rest In Peace Mrs. Barbara Bush,” Watt wrote. “You were a beautiful light in this world and I am forever thankful for your friendship.”


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Watt attached several photos that had previously been taken of him and Bush, including one where the former first lady was wearing shoulder pads.

That photo was taken when Watt and Bush teamed up for a project promoting literacy, according to The Houston Chronicle.

“I’m looking at her, I’m like, this is the former first lady of the United States and she has shoulder pads on and eye black and she’s with me and we’re talking literacy and she’s cracking jokes with me between takes,” Watt said recently of that interaction.

“I was like, I don’t know what gets better than this. It was special. I’ve been over to her house and we’ve have had cookies together and we’ve done events. She’s just as sweet as can be and is a lot of fun to hang around with and I’m very fortunate to know her,” he added, speaking just days before Bush died.

Will you miss Barbara Bush?

Watt also said that despite her failing health and advanced age, Bush was able to “put a smile on your face.”

“She can crack a joke with the best of them even up in her 90s. She’s an awesome woman,” Watt said.

In addition to honoring the former first lady on his personal Twitter page after news broke of her death, Watt also used his foundation’s Twitter account to pay tribute.


In fact, all of Houston’s professional sports organization took the time to honor Bush, particularly the Astros, who were reportedly her favorite baseball team.

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“Today is a very sad day for our city and for our entire nation. As First Lady, Mrs. Bush epitomized grace, dignity and strength. As a humanitarian, she impacted the lives of so many young people through the work of her Foundation for literacy and more,” Reid Ryan, the Astros’ president of business operations, said in a written statement.

“As Houstonians and frequent visitors to Minute Maid Park to watch their beloved Astros, we had the great privilege of getting to know Mrs. Bush and President Bush personally. While at the ballpark, both always greeted everyone from the ticket-takers to the ushers with a warm, friendly smile,” he added.

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Joe Setyon was a deputy managing editor for The Western Journal who had spent his entire professional career in editing and reporting. He previously worked in Washington, D.C., as an assistant editor/reporter for Reason magazine.
Joe Setyon was deputy managing editor for The Western Journal with several years of copy editing and reporting experience. He graduated with a degree in communication studies from Grove City College, where he served as managing editor of the student-run newspaper. Joe previously worked as an assistant editor/reporter for Reason magazine, a libertarian publication in Washington, D.C., where he covered politics and wrote about government waste and abuse.
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