Former President George H.W. Bush remains in hospital; wife Barbara now treated for bronchitis

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UPDATE 1/19, 11:31 a.m.: According to a family spokesman, President Bush had a good night's rest and remains in stable condition in the ICU at Houston Methodist Hospital. His medical team is actively evaluating him for extubation, and we are hopeful he will be discharged from the ICU in a few days. Mrs. Bush reports she feels "1,000% better" this morning after being diagnosed with a case of bronchitis.

UPDATE: 1/19 7:15 a.m.: Barbara Bush is now being treated with bronchitis.

UPDATE 1/18 12:54 p.m.: President Bush moved to ICU with pneumonia; Barbara Bush admitted to the hospital this morning.

Former President George H.W. Bush, the 41st in U.S. history, was taken to Houston Methodist Hospital Central - Texas Medical Center.

President George H.W. Bush's spokesman Jim McGrath sent the following text message to FOX 26 News on Wednesday:

President George H. W. Bush has been in Methodist since Saturday and has responded very well to treatments. Doctors and everyone are very pleased, and we hope to have him out soon.

The following statement was released from President Bush's office on Wednesday morning:

President George H. W. Bush was taken to Houston Methodist Hospital as a precaution after experiencing shortness of breath. The former president, 92, is being monitored as a precaution and is resting comfortably.

President Bush, 92, fell and broke a vertebra in July 15, 2015 at his summer home in Kennebunkport, Maine, but recovered well from that experience and even threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Houston Astros game at Minute Maid Park on April 12, 2016. He also spent a week at Houston Methodist in December 2014 after he had experienced shortness of breath.

Pres. Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, on June 12, 1924, and enlisted in the armed forces on his 18th birthday. He was the youngest pilot in the U.S. Navy when he received his wings and flew 58 combat missions during World War II. After he was shot down by Japanese antiaircraft fire over the Pacific Ocean, a U.S. submarine crew rescued him from the water. Bush was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery in action.

Bush married Barbara Pierce in January 1945 and they had six children -- George, Robin (who died as a child), John (better known as Jeb), Neil, Marvin and Dorothy.

Public service has remained a calling for many members of the Bush family. Prescott Bush, the father of George H.W. Bush, was elected to the Senate from Connecticut in 1952.

George H.W. Bush go on to serve two terms as a Congressman from Texas, though he had two unsuccessful campaigns for the U.S. Senate. He later served as Ambassador to the United Nations, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Chief of the U. S. Liaison Office in the People's Republic of China, and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

When George H.W. Bush campaigned as a Republican candidate for President in 1980, his bid was unsuccessful, but he was chosen as a running mate by Ronald Reagan and served as his Vice President from 1981 until 1989. He won the Republican nomination for President in 1988 and won the general election with Senator Dan Quayle of Indiana as his running mate.

During his presidency, George H.W. Bush acted as Commander-in-Chief for Operation Desert Storm following the occupation of Kuwait led by Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.

The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum, administered by the National Archives and Records Administration, is located on the Texas A&M University campus in College Station.