Jenna Bush Hager reflects on grandfather George H.W. Bush: 'I will miss him desperately'

Jenna Bush Hager is remembering her late grandfather, former President George H.W. Bush, in the form of Instagram posts.

People reported that the “Today” show correspondent said she misses her grandfather, who died Friday night, but takes comfort in the fact that he has reunited with his wife, Barbara, who died in April.

>> Read more trending news

"Waking up missing this giant of a man who gave me everything," she wrote in a post. "He taught me and my family about service, family, decency, the power of gentle words and a beautiful heart. I will miss him desperately but so happy he and my Grandmother are back together."

Hager also said she was comforted by a cartoon by Marshall Ramsey, of the Clarion Ledger. It depicted Bush arriving in heaven to reunite with Barbara Bush and their daughter, Pauline Robinson Bush, known as Robin, who died in 1953 at age 3 of leukemia.

Related: George H.W. Bush: Cartoons depict touching family reunion

Hager shared in the caption of an Instagram post of the cartoon that she spoke with her grandfather about the afterlife.

“He answered without any hesitation, ‘Yes, I think about it. I used to be afraid. I used to be afraid of dying. I used to worry about death. But now in some ways I look forward to it,’” she said.

When she asked him why, she said the elder Bush responded, “Well, when I die, I’m going to be reunited with these people that I’ve lost.’”

Related: George H.W. Bush: Political world reacts to death of former president

Hager said she asked who her grandfather expects to reunite with. He said, “I hope I see Robin, and I hope I see my mom. I haven’t yet figured it out if it will be Robin as the three year old that she was, this kind of chubby, vivacious child or if she’ll come as a middle-aged woman, an older woman ... I hope she’s the three-year-old.”

Bush's body will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol Dec. 3-5.

About the Author