As the city he has long called home reels from the devastation of Hurricane Harvey, former President George H. W. Bush expressed his sympathy for his fellow Texans.

"Barbara and I are in Maine, but our hearts are in Houston," Bush said in a statement released Monday. "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."

Barbara Bush and former President George H. W. Bush

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He continued: "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."

The 41st president first moved to Texas after graduating from Yale, and he was the first Republican to represent Houston in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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