Former president George W. Bush is flanked by his wife, Laura (left), and West Virginia state Sen. Amy Grady, R-Mason, in the Bush family’s home in Kennebunkport, Maine, in July 2024. Grady was attending an education policy retreat hosted by former Florida governor Jeb Bush. Grady is a third-grade teacher and chairwoman of the West Virginia Senate Education Committee.
West Virginia Sen. Amy Grady, R-Mason, recently returned to her classroom, teaching third-graders at Leon Elementary in Mason County.
She has, no doubt, heard about how they spent their summer vacations. But this year, she had a story that doubles as a history lesson and involves meeting a former — and her favorite — U.S. president.
Grady, chairwoman of the state’s Senate Education Committee, also is a member of the , a nonprofit that, , “supports state leaders in transforming education to unlock opportunity and lifelong success for each and every child.â€
Heading to Kennebunkport
Jeb Bush — the former governor of Florida — is the group’s chairman. He invited education policy leaders from across the country to Maine for a summer retreat.
Part of the itinerary was a tour of Walker’s Point Estate, also known as the Bush family compound at Kennebunkport. Grady said a security clearance was required a month in advance of the visit, and there was no indication Bush’s brother — former president George W. Bush — would be at the compound.
Traveling with a small group of 16 people, all with various policy experience in education, Grady said they were told that Laura Bush would be in the compound.
“I was excited about that,†Grady said about the opportunity to meet the former first lady.
Former president George W. Bush is flanked by his wife, Laura (left), and West Virginia state Sen. Amy Grady, R-Mason, in the Bush family’s home in Kennebunkport, Maine, in July 2024. Grady was attending an education policy retreat hosted by former Florida governor Jeb Bush. Grady is a third-grade teacher and chairwoman of the West Virginia Senate Education Committee.
Grady said Laura Bush, who appeared from behind one of the doors to the main home of the compound, was first to welcome the group. But then a second door unexpectedly opened to reveal her husband, the former president. Wearing shorts and a casual summer shirt was George W. Bush, who seemed to appear from nowhere.
Grady admitted that she was a little “starstruck†at this unexpected chance to meet one of her heroes, and she wasn’t disappointed.
“He was exactly what I hoped him to be,†she said, describing him as “down to earth, genuine and funny.â€
“You always think about what you’re going to say to your hero when you meet them, and I didn’t say any of those things,†she said about the shock of meeting a former president.
She said she did manage to tell him, “I loved how patriotic you always were. That was always so inspiring to me.â€
In the wake of the 9/11 al-Qaida terrorist attack in 2001, she also told Bush that she’d always wanted to give him a hug, to which the former commander in chief said, “Well, put her there, girl†and obliged her request, nearly 23 years later.
‘Serve with humility’
The guests were invited into the couple’s sunroom where, once the shock wore off, Grady said she was able to talk to the former president about leadership and government.
She paraphrased a conversation: “He said, ‘You have to be quick to understand, [presidents] don’t know everything. And you surround yourself with a lot of smart people you can trust, and that made a better president.’â€
She said he conveyed that he “doesn’t miss the power [of the presidency] at all.†And he said to be mindful of how power can change people.
“I feel like he listened to us,†Grady said about the group’s exchange with Bush.
Looking back on the experience, she said the biggest piece of political advice he shared was to “serve with humility.â€
Beth Sergent is the political reporter. She can be reached at 304-348-2731 or email at bsergent@hdmediallc.com.
