Former President George H.W. Bush moves from ICU

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Former pres. George W. Bush, left, wheels his father, former president George H.W. Bush into St. Martin's Episcopal Church for the funeral for former first lady Barbara Bush on April 21, 2018 in Houston. (Photo by Brett Coomer - Pool/Getty Images)

Former President George H.W. Bush has been moved from the intensive care unit at Houston Methodist Hospital to a regular patient room, and "is expected to continue his recovery there for several more days."

"President Bush naturally thanks everyone for their prayers and good wishes. He also wants to assure everyone that, as good as he feels now, he is more focused on the Houston Rockets closing out their playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves than anything that landed him in the hospital," Family spokesman, Jim McGrath tweeted Wednesday afternoon.

While speaking Wednesday at Brown University, Jeb Bush said his father is "stronger than an ox" and will be leaving the hospital on Friday.

He was admitted to Houston Methodist Hospital on Sunday after contracting an infection that spread to his blood.

Jim McGrath, the Bush family spokesman, released a statement Tuesday morning saying Bush was still "responding and recovering."

McGrath said on Monday, “The 41st President wants to go to Maine this summer. He’s the most goal-oriented person on the planet, and I would not bet against him.”

Bush, 93, suffers from a form of Parkinson's disease and uses a wheelchair or electric scooter to move around.

The family patriarch was admitted to the hospital one day after a funeral was held for his wife, former first lady Barbara Bush.

The former president was "broken-hearted to lose his beloved Barbara,” Jean Becker, the chief of staff for George H.W. Bush’s office said in a statement. “He held her hand all day today and was at her side when [she] left this good earth.”

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They were married for 73 years, the longest presidential marriage in U.S. history.


Mrs. Bush died Tuesday at the age of 92, just days after her family announced she was in failing health and would no longer seek medical treatment in favor of "comfort care."

She was laid to rest at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station on Saturday.

A service was held earlier that day at St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Houston, where Bush wore a pair of socks adorned with books in his wife's honor. 


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At her public viewing on Friday, Bush greeted mourners who visited St. Martin's to pay their final respects to Mrs. Bush.


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Bush was hospitalized last April for a "mild case of pneumonia." He was also hospitalized for 16 days last January, when he was temporarily placed on a ventilator and was treated in the intensive care unit for pneumonia.

Bush served as president from 1989 to 1993. Born June 12, 1924, in Milton, Massachusetts.

He also served as a congressman, CIA director and Ronald Reagan's vice president.