George H.W. Bush leaves hospital, days after breaking a bone in his neck

Former President George H.W. Bush left a Maine hospital Sunday four days after he fell at his Kennebunkport home and broke a bone in his neck, his spokesman announced.

Bush, who at 91 is the nation’s oldest living president, fractured his C2 vertebra Wednesday and was treated for four days at Maine Medical Center in Portland, according to his spokesman, Jim McGrath. The fractured bone is near the base of the skull.

On Sunday, Bush returned to his home in Kennebunkport wearing a hard neck brace, McGrath said.

Bush “continues to have normal use of his limbs,” and his injury “neither impinged on his spine nor resulted in any neurological deficit,” McGrath said in a statement last week that was reiterated by Bush’s physician, Dr. William D’Angelo.

D’Angelo told reporters Thursday that he planned to let the bone heal without surgery and that he was hopeful Bush would make a full recovery.

Bush is the father of former President George W. Bush and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who is seeking the 2016 presidential nomination. Earlier this month, he and his wife, Barbara, hosted an event for top donors to Jeb Bush’s presidential campaign.

Several years ago, the elder Bush was diagnosed with vascular Parkinsonism, which causes symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease.

This was at least the third time he has been hospitalized in recent years.

In December, he stayed in a Houston hospital for nearly a week after experiencing shortness of breath.

In November 2012, Bush went to a Houston hospital with a persistent cough. He developed a fever and stayed for nearly two months.

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