President George H.W. Bush celebrates his 88th birthday (Getty)
Former President George H.W. Bush suffered a fall in his home in Kennebunkport, Maine on Wednesday, breaking a bone in his neck.
According to spokesman Jim McGrath, the injury to Bush, age 91, is not life-threatening, and a quick recovery is expected.
Here is what you need to know.
1. He Is Stable and Will Not Need Surgery
Former President George H. W. Bush at the White House, July 15, 2013 (Getty)
According to spokesman Jim McGrath’s twitter account, the former President Bush suffered a fall while in his summer home in Kennebunkport, Maine, breaking a bone in his vertebrae.
McGrath tweeted that “41 fell at home in Maine today and broke a bone in his neck. His condition is stable — he is fine — but he’ll be in a neck brace.”
According to Dr. William D’Angelo, the treating physician, the former president suffered a fracture to his C2 vertebrae and should heal without surgery, with a recovery time of around 3-4 months.
2. As of Thursday Morning Bush Remains Hospitalized
Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush at The 39th Ryder Cup (Getty)
According to spokesman McGrath, Bush remains in the hospital in Portland’s Maine Medical Center, where a children’s hospital is named after his wife.
As of now, it is unknown when the former president will be released, though family members, including granddaughter Jenna Bush Hager, have relayed optimism that he will “heal well.”
3. This is Bush’s Third Hospitalization in as Many Years
L-R) Tony Romo, Jason Garrett and Jason Witten of the Dallas Cowboys stand with former First Lady Barbara Bush and former President H.W. Bush (Getty)
Bush was hospitalized in Houston in 2014 after suffering shortness of breath, a stay which lasted approximately a week.
In 2012, the former president spent Christmas in a Houston hospital’s intensive care unit after contracting bronchitis. Complications relating to a “severe cough” landed him in and out of The Methodist Hospital in the Texas Medical Center for weeks.
4. He Suffers From a Form of Parkinson’s Disease
Former President George H.W. Bush at the Houston Texans game at Reliant Stadium (Getty)
Bush suffers from a condition called vascular parkinsonism, a disease characterized by tremors, which has made it difficult for him to walk and has forced him to use a motorized scooter for mobility.
The disease, which does not run in families and is therefore unlikely to affect either former president George W. Bush or 2016 Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush, is not known to be painful, though it has caused Bush to miss a number of events in the past few years.
5. But it Hasn’t Slowed Him Down
President George H.W. Bush and his wife, Mrs. Barbara Bush attend the HBO Documentary special screening of “41” (Getty)
Bush is known for his adventurous ways, including skydiving for three of his birthdays, including his 90th. He has also parachuted multiple times, including when he was shot down in WWII.
Bush, at 91, is currently the oldest living former U.S. president.