Barbara, George H.W. Bush offer message of support to Houston amid flooding

Photos: Dramatic rescues around Houston

Former President George H.W. Bush, with Barbara Bush, hands a baseball to Houston Astros third baseman Jed Lowrie (8) as he threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 3 of the American League Division Series against the Kansas City Royals at Minute Maid Park on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2015, in Houston.

See images of the dramatic rescues that have occurred across the Houston area since Harvey hit. less Photos: Dramatic rescues around Houston

Former President George H.W. Bush, with Barbara Bush, hands a baseball to Houston Astros third baseman Jed Lowrie (8) as he threw out the ceremonial first pitch before ... more Photo: Karen Warren, Chronicle Photo: Karen Warren, Chronicle Image 1 of / 125 Caption Close Barbara, George H.W. Bush offer message of support to Houston amid flooding 1 / 125 Back to Gallery

As Harvey's rains continue to fall across the Houston area, former President George H.W. Bush and his wife Barbara have issued a message of support for their city.

"Barbara and I are in Maine, but our hearts are in Houston. We are praying for all of our fellow Houstonians and Texans affected by Harvey, and truly inspired by the flotilla of volunteers -- Points of Light all -- who are answering the call to help their neighbors," the former first couple said in a statement. "We salute them, the first responders, and the local elected officials for their grit and determination in the face of this extraordinary storm. This we know: Houston, and Texas, will come together and rebuild."

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The Bushes are longtime Houstonians who who came to the Bayou City for the same reason as many others - the oil business.

He later became chairman of the Republican Party in Harris County, then a congressman from the 7th District of Texas.

After leaving the White House in 1993, the couple moved back to Houston, where they have become two of the city's most beloved residents.

In a rare 2016 interview with the Houston Chronicle, Bush noted many of the attributes that will help Houston recover from the disaster:

Q: What were your first impressions of Houston?

A: The open and friendly people. Houstonians have big hearts. We felt welcomed right away.



Q: What do you think are Houston's strengths?

A: The aggressive, can-do spirit of the people. Nothing is too big for Houstonians. I love that.

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Tropical Storm Harvey has been called an unprecedented storm, and losses are expected to mount into the billions in Houston.

A number of evacuations were issued on Sunday night and Monday as hundreds of water rescues occurred all across the region. See the latest on the storm from Chron.com here.