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President George H.W. Bush once shaved his head to support a boy with leukemia

President George H.W. Bush once shaved his head to support a boy with leukemia

HOUSTON, Tx. — President George H.W. Bush once shaved his head to show solidarity with the son of a Secret Service agent when he learned he had been diagnosed with leukemia.

On Tuesday, the Secret Service shared the image of Bush with 2-year-old Patrick on his lap on Twitter.

"We wanted to share a memory," the Secret Service wrote."In 2013, Timberwolf learned that the 2-year-old son of an agent on his detail was diagnosed with leukemia and the detail was going to shave their heads. You can see what happened, in classic 41 manner."

In 2016, Bush tweeted the happy followup that Patrick is "doing much better" these days.

The gesture was made especially poignant by the fact that Bush and his wife Barbara lost their 3-year-old daughter Robin to the same cancer in 1953. Pauline Robinson "Robin" Bush was the couple's second child. She died two months before her 4th birthday.

The family has since established a foundation for leukemia research.

Bush will be buried next to his wife and daughter Thursday.