HOUSTON – A photo on a bookshelf documents the day President George H.W. Bush gave someone the shirt off of his back. It was taken sometime after Bush left the White House in 1993.
Officer Ray Hunt was working an extra job at a fundraiser as people paid for photos with the former president.
“He goes, 'Officer, would you like a photo too?' And I said, 'It was $100. I don't have $100.' And he said, 'No, come take it,'" Hunt said.
President Bush took a photo with Hunt.
Hunt is now the past president of the Houston Police Officer’s Union. President Bush offered Hunt a maroon shirt, just like he was wearing, but they ran out.
"He left. He came back with a different shirt on and he handed me that shirt that he was wearing. The president literally gave me the shirt off of his back," Hunt said.
In the years that have followed, Former President George H.W. Bush and former first lady Barbara Bush have supported the Houston police. They even wore the blue “pray for police” bracelets.
Hunt said the couple used the photo of them wearing the bracelets as their Christmas photo. As we again pray for the former president, we are reminded of the day he gave Hunt the shirt off of his back.
“I think it's what everybody has been saying about him and his wife these last few weeks. He's just an incredible person and it's an incredible family. I know people talk about the Kennedys being a dynasty, but I clearly believe that the Bush family is a dynasty. They’re just a class act," Hunt added.