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Barbara Bush, a 92-year-old native of Westchester, is in failing health and declining further medical treatment, returning home for comfort care after a series of hospitalizations.
The former first lady, who grew up in Rye, has been treated for decades for Graves' disease, a thyroid condition.
Bush has been suffering for some time and has been in and out of the hospital multiple times in the last year while battling with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or COPD, and congestive heart failure, according to multiple media reports.
She is now surrounded by family and loved ones at the Bush home in Houston.
Barbara Bush has been married to the former president for 72 years, the longest marriage of any U.S. president.
Barbara Bush is the first wife of a president and mother of another since Abigail Adams. The Bush's son, George W. Bush, was the 43rd president.
The 41st president moved to Greenwich with his family from Milton, Mass., shortly after his birth. He began his education at Greenwich Country Day School. Barbara Pierce Bush grew up in Rye and attended Rye Country Day School.
Barbara Bush was born June 8, 1925. She was first lady from 1989 to 1993. As wife of the vice president and then president, Barbara Bush has supported and worked to advance the cause of universal literacy. She founded the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy while first lady. Since leaving the White House, she has continued to advance this cause.
In 1995, Bush received the award for Greatest Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged, an award given annually by Jefferson Awards.
In 1997, she was the recipient of The Miss America Woman of Achievement Award for her work with literacy programs.
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