據美媒報道，當地時間11月30日，美國第41任總統喬治·W·H·布什於當晚10時許，在得克薩斯州休斯敦市家中，平靜地走向了生命的終點，享年94歲。

他的辭世，令美國舉國哀悼。

01

他隨她去了

這位老人是美國史上最長壽的一位總統，也是美國最後一位參與二戰的總統，他的一生足以用“傳奇”兩字來形容，而他更是美國史上最長情的一位總統。

老布什和妻子芭芭拉於1945年1月6日在紐約州的萊伊喜結連理，直至芭芭拉因病去世，他們的婚姻生活足足長達70多年。

2012年時，老布什就因身患血管性帕金森綜合症，便坐上了輪椅，從此行動不便。

今年4月22日，老布什的妻子芭芭拉因病去世。

或許是因為悲傷過度，他自己也因“血液感染”被送入醫院治療。

據CNN當時報道稱，老布什在入院時就出現了敗血症症狀，直接被送入重症監護室。

據知情者透露，他的血壓在一段時間內“持續下降”，好幾次醫生都擔憂他是否還能“撐得過去”。

好在，老布什挺過來了，但因為身體狀況每日愈下，變得生活不能自理。

於是，在今年6月，一隻名叫薩利（Sully）的服務犬走進了老布什的生命，開始照顧他的生活起居。

02

我陪你走到最後

薩利（Sully）這是一隻來自美國服務犬機構（America’s VetDogs，非營利組織，專門為有需要的退伍軍人、現役軍人和殘疾人士提供免費的服務犬），2歲訓練有素的純種拉布拉多服務犬。

美國服務犬機構負責人表示：“很榮幸能夠提供服務犬陪伴老布什總統最後的幾個月，老布什總統推動制定了傷殘軍人法案，傷殘軍人和其家庭視其為永遠的英雄。”

Sully這個名字，是以美國著名機長切斯利·薩利·薩倫伯格的名字命名的。

這位機長曾經在2009年，當全美航空1549號航班遇到意外即將墜落時，憑藉自己的一己之力，在208秒內將飛機平安迫降在紐約的哈德遜河，拯救了155名乘客和機組人員的生命。

而Sully與這位英雄機長一樣，擁有機敏、冷靜的優秀品格，他一出現就深的老布什的喜愛。

Sully作為一隻純種拉布拉多，在它出生不久，就被America’s VetDogs接走，開始進行各種訓練。

雖然現在的它只有兩歲，但已經可以做到整整兩頁紙的指令。

像平時最常用的開門、接電話、拿東西、求助…這樣簡單的指令，對於Sully來說根本不在話下。

Sully的機靈訓練有素深的老布什一家的喜愛，為了歡迎這位家裡的新成員，老布什不僅特意在自己的推特上發文歡迎，甚至還專門開始一個官方Instagram賬號，用第一口吻記錄著Sully與老布什一家生活的點點滴滴。

老布什一家為Sully慶祝兩歲生日

10月8日，Sully參加小布什女兒，也就是老布什孫女芭芭拉的婚禮

11月2日，陪著老布什參加美國中期選舉投票。

世人都知道，老布什是個名副其實的“襪子控”，他喜歡將自己各種自己喜歡的事物都印在襪子上。

他曾說， “我是一個‘襪子控’，顏色越鮮豔、圖案越誇張、設計越出格我越喜歡。”

他生前所穿的襪子給人留下深刻印象，而他也將Sully的頭像印在襪子上，足以顯示老布什對Sully是多麼的喜愛。

除此之外，Sully每天都會陪著老布什散步，並且在必要的時候成為他的柺杖。

有時Sully還會陪老布什一起看看球賽

甚至還會陪老布什一起看書，那本由芭芭拉所寫的《Millie's Book》是老布什的最愛，也是Sully最愛“看”的書

就這樣，Sully陪伴著老布什走過了人生最後的路程，給老布什最後的人生裡帶來了美好的溫暖。

11月30日，老布什去世了，Sully也算完成了自己的使命。

在老布什的靈柩旁，Sully安靜地臥在地上，默默守護著自己的主人，陪他走完最後一段路程。

這張照片引得無數網友淚目，我最好的朋友啊，讓我再陪你走完最後一程吧。

還有人在這張照片下這樣評論：這張照片證明了一個男人對國家的盡忠，和一條狗對一個男人的盡忠。

12月3日，Sully與布什家族的其他成員一同，乘坐“空軍一號”專機，護送老布什的靈柩從休斯頓來到華盛頓特區，將老布什的靈柩放在國會大廈的圓形大廳，供民眾瞻仰。

在12月5日，Sully陪著老布什的靈柩一同參加了國葬儀式，陪著這位自己的老朋友走完了最後一程，守護他直到最後一刻。

在結束國葬後，Sully又將迎來自己的新的任務：在回到America’s VetDogs總部休整一段時間後，明年1月，Sully將正式加入沃爾特里德國家軍事醫療中心的設施犬小組，繼續為退伍軍人和傷殘軍人提供幫助。

在得知薩利將繼續為退役軍人服務，老布什的兒子小布什表示：

“儘管我們一家人都會想念它，但我們很欣慰地知道，就像它給41（老布什）帶來的歡樂一樣，它將給它的新家帶去無盡的歡樂。”

03

狗狗永遠都是人類最忠誠的朋友

Sully的陪伴讓無數人感動，這又讓人不得不想起很多狗狗衷心主人的故事。

《忠犬八公》中，八公在主人意外去世的9年裡，每天都按時在車站等待自己的主人，直到自己死去；

《一條狗的使命》中，貝利每次投胎，都會用盡自己全力去保護守護自己的主人，就像貝利說：“我活著是為了愛護伊森，讓他開心，我不想就這麼離開他。”

嘉貝麗.文生曾說：對一隻狗好，也許只花你一部分時間。而它，卻將用一輩子回報你，如果你願意，狗，它知道怎樣感動你的心。

你在，它就一直在；你走，它會一直等你。

狗狗，永遠都會是人類最好的朋友！

前總統小布什講話全文

老布什的長子、前總統小布什在葬禮中（圖片來自CBSN）

尊敬的來賓，總統和第一夫人，政府官員，外國客人，朋友們； 傑布，尼爾，多羅和我，以及我的家人，感謝你們的光臨。

我曾經聽說，人最好趁年輕的時候就去世，當然，要越晚越好。在我父親85歲高齡的時候，他的一個娛樂就是開快船，他的船叫“忠心號”，他開足300馬力，快得象飛一樣，在大西洋上馳騁，留下保安船隻在後面拼命追趕。

在90歲的時候，我父親依然從飛機中跳傘而出，降落點是緬因Kennebunkport鎮海邊的聖安妮教堂，我的祖母就在這個地方舉行的婚禮，這也是我父親經常去禮拜的地方。母親說，父親特意選擇了這個地方降落，就是為了應對傘包萬一打不開的意外。

90歲了，有一天父親正在住院，他的老朋友，前國務卿貝克，偷偷給他帶進來一瓶灰鵝牌伏特加，他高興壞了。這酒配上貝克從默頓牛排店買來的外賣，真是棒極了。

即便是在他最後的日子，父親的生命也有啟迪。他一邊老去，一邊教會我們如何帶著尊嚴，幽默和善良而老去。當慈愛的上帝最終來叩門的時候，怎樣帶著勇氣，帶著對天國的期盼和喜樂，去迎接死亡的來臨。

我父親知道如何在“年輕”時死亡，因為他幾乎曾經歷過兩次。十幾歲的時候，一個葡萄球菌感染幾乎要了他的命。幾年後，他躺在一個救生筏裡在太平洋上飄蕩，一邊禱告希望救生部隊能先於敵人找到他。顯然上帝聽到了他的禱告，因為上帝給父親的命運做了其他的安排。

從我父親的角度，這些瀕死的經歷讓他更加珍惜生命的可貴，他發誓要把每一天活到極致。

父親是個大忙人，永遠處於無窮動態之中。但是，他就是再忙，也不會忘記和周圍的人分享快樂。他教會我們熱愛戶外運動，他喜歡看愛犬追逐被驚飛的野鳥，他愛釣狡詐的鱸魚。即便是受限於輪椅而行動不便，他就坐在沃克海角的碼頭，沉思大西洋的宏偉，這彷彿是他最快樂的時刻。

他所看到的天邊明亮而充滿了希望。父親是個真正樂觀的人。這種樂觀主義，也影響了下一代，讓我們每一個人都堅信，可能性無處不在。一直以來，他都用一個個果敢的決定來拓展他的空間。

他是愛國者 。高中畢業後，二戰爆發，他暫停大學計劃而成為海軍飛行員。

父親和很多同代人一樣，本來不大喜歡宣揚自己報效國家的事蹟。但是，作為公眾人物，我們都知道了他的經歷，他執行攻擊，完成任務，被擊落。 我們知道了他機組人員的犧牲，以及他對此窮其一生的思索。我們也知道他最終獲救了。

另一個大膽的決定，他把自己的小家庭從舒適的東部搬到了陌生的德州奧德賽。他和母親很快就習慣了周邊荒涼的環境。為了節省家用，我家當年和另幾位女士共享一棟獨立房子，我家在一邊，她們在另一邊，但是兩家需要共享一個衛生間。後來，我們知道了這些女士是從事“特殊”職業的，但我父親依然以善良和藹的態度對待她們，他是個非常寬容大度的人。

父親能夠和來自生活不同軌道的人交往，他善於推己及人，感同身受。他重品格而不是背景，他決不憤世嫉俗，他善意地從每個人身上找優點，總是能找到。

父親教會我們，當“官”， 為公眾服務是必須的，也是崇高的。當“政客”，也可以當得正直，並且對家庭信仰這樣重要的價值觀問心無愧。他堅信我們必須回報國家和社會。他知道，為別人服務，也能豐富自我的靈魂。對我們而言，父親是“閃耀繁星”中最亮的那一顆（the brightest of a thousands points of light）（小編注：“閃耀繁星”是老布什成立的非盈利機構，旨在提倡志願者服務）。

當他失敗，他鐵肩擔責難。他承認，失敗是完整人生的一部分。但他告訴我們，永遠不要讓失敗來定義你的人生。他親身實踐，挫折怎樣可以轉化為強大。

在他所有的不幸中，沒有什麼能比得上他人生最大的悲劇，年幼愛女的過世。

我們有個姐姐，在三歲就去世了，這給我父母帶來的痛苦和絕望，我和傑布那時太小了都記不住。我們後來知道，父親這個把信仰深藏內心的人，天天為她禱告。只有依靠了神的愛，和他對母親真正持久的愛，他才能堅持下去。父親總是相信，有一天他能夠再次擁抱他珍貴的女兒羅賓。

他喜歡大笑，特別是自嘲。他喜歡開玩笑，但絕非惡意。他特別熱衷於精彩的笑話。 這也是他選擇辛普森參議員致悼詞的原因。

他有一個電子郵件群，專門用於朋友之間分享最新的笑話。他對笑話有一個很典型的喬治·布什笑話質量評分系統：能得到十分罕見的7分和8分的笑話，大多數都不帶色的。

喬治·布什知道如何成為一個真正忠誠的朋友。慷慨大度和願意付出，讓他和各界友人成為至交。他曾經給朋友和熟人寫了成千上萬的親筆信，用於鼓勵、同情或者感謝。

他能量驚人。 很多人會告訴你，爸爸是他們生活中的導師和父親。他樂於傾聽，善於安慰，願意和人交流。 他的好朋友，除了唐·羅德斯，泰勒·布蘭頓，吉姆·南茨，阿諾德·施瓦辛格，最不可思議的，還有後來在總統競選中打敗他的比爾·克林頓。對我和我的兄弟姐妹們來說，父親的這些朋友親如自己同父異母的兄弟。

他告訴我們要珍惜毎一天。 他在高爾夫球場上是一個傳奇。 他是一名優秀的高爾夫球手，我總是想知道他高爾夫為什麼打那麼快。我的結論是，打快點，才有時間參加下一個活動，用一天中剩下的時間，來消耗他旺盛的精力，不讓一日虛度。看來他出生時只有兩種設置：全力以赴，倒頭大睡。

他告訴我們如何做一個好父親，好祖父和好曾祖父。他有自己堅信的原則，但當我們想用自己的方法時，他支持、鼓勵、安慰，但從不試圖操縱。我們都挑戰過他的耐心。每次我觸及他的底線時，他總是用無條件的愛來回應。

上週五，當我被告知他不久於人世時，趕緊打電話給他。接電話的人說：“我覺得他能聽見你，但他己經一整天沒說話了。” 我說，“爸爸，我愛你，你是一個很棒的父親，”他留在世上的最後一句話是，“我也愛你。”

對我們來說，他並不完美，但已經接近完美。他不擅長於打短時比賽。在舞池裡也比弗雷德·阿斯泰爾差遠了。他不愛吃蔬菜，尤其討厭西蘭花。 順便說一句，他把這些缺陷也遺傳給了我們。

最後，在他73年的婚姻中，父親每天都在以身作則地教導我們如何成為一個好丈夫。他娶了他的初戀，崇拜她，陪她大笑，陪她痛哭，對她始終忠誠如一。

上了年紀的時候，父親喜歡握著母親的手，把電視機的音量調得老高，一遍遍地觀看警察節目。媽媽去世後，爸爸表現得很堅強，但我們知道，他真正想做的事就是牽著媽媽的手。

父親還教給我另外一個特別一課。他身體力行地向我展示如何成為一個有誠信，有勇氣的總統，如何充滿愛心地為國民服務。

歷史書上會記載，喬治·H·W·布什是一個偉大的美國總統，一個有著無與倫比技巧的外交官，一個成就顯赫的總司令，一個以尊嚴和榮譽捍衛其職責的紳士。

好了，父親，就說這麼多吧，我們會一直想念你。你體面、真誠、善良的靈魂將永遠和我們在一起。眼淚中，我們明白，這得是多麼大的幸運，能認識你，愛戴你，一個偉大而高尚的人。一個孩子可能擁有的、最好的父親。在悲痛中，我們笑著永別。親愛的爸爸，您總算可以擁抱羅賓，再次牽著媽媽的手了。

翻譯：項西行，七彩美國

小布什講話英文原稿：

https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/politics/a25412038/george-w-bush-eulogy-for-father-george-hw-bush-full-transcript/

THE FULL TRANSCRIPT OF GEORGE W. BUSH'S MEMORIAL FOR HIS FATHER:

Distinguished guests, including our Presidents and First Ladies, government officials, foreign dignitaries, and friends; Jeb, Neil, Marvin, Doro, and I and our families thank you all for being here.

I once heard it said of man that the idea is to die young as late as possible. At age 85, a favorite pastime of George H.W. Bush was firing up his boat, the Fidelity, and opening up the three 300 horsepower engines to fly, joyfully fly across the Atlantic with the Secret Service boats straining to keep up.

At age 90, George H.W. Bush parachuted out of an aircraft and landed on the grounds of St. Anne's by the Sea in Kennebunkport, Maine, the church where his mom was married and where he worshipped often. Mother liked to say he chose the location just in case the chute didn't open.

In his 90s, he took great delight when his closest pal, James A. Baker, smuggled a bottle of Grey Goose vodka into his hospital room. Apparently it paired well with the steak Baker had delivered from Morton's.

To his very last days, dad's life was instructive. As he aged he taught us how to grow with dignity, humor and kindness. When the good lord finally called, how to meet him with courage and with the joy of the promise of what lies ahead.

One reason dad knew how to die young is that he almost did it, twice. When he was a teenager, a staph infection nearly took his life. A few years later he was alone in the Pacific on a life raft, praying that his rescuers would find him before the enemy did. God answered those prayers. It turned out he had other plans for George H.W. Bush.

For dad's part, I think those brushes with death made him cherish the gift of life, and he vowed to live every day to the fullest.

Dad was always busy, a man in constant motion, but never too busy to share his love of life with those around him. He taught us to love the outdoors. He loved watching dogs flush a covey. He loved landing the illusive striper. And once confined to a wheelchair, he seemed happiest sitting in his favorite perch on the back porch at Walker's Point contemplating the majesty of the Atlantic.

The horizons he saw were bright and hopeful. He was a genuinely optimistic man, and that optimism guided his children and made each of us believe that anything was possible. He continually broadened his horizons with daring decisions.

He was a patriot. After high school he put college on hold and became a navy fighter pilot as World War II broke out.

Like many of his generation, he never talked about his service until his time as a public figure forced his hand. We learned of the attack, the mission completed, the shootdown. We learned of the death of his crewmates whom he thought about throughout his entire life. And we learned of the rescue.

And then another audacious decision; he moved his young family from the comforts of the East coast to Odessa, Texas. He and Mom adjusted to their arid surroundings quickly. he was a tolerant man. after all, he was kind and neighborly to the women with whom he, Mom and I shared a bathroom in our small duplex. Even after he learned their profession, ladies of the night.

Dad could relate to people from all walks of life. He was an empathetic man. He valued character over pedigree, and he was no cynic. He looked for the good in each person and he usually found it.

Dad taught us that public service is noble and necessary, that one can serve with integrity and hold true to the important values like faith and family. He strongly believed that it was important to give back to the community and country in which one lived. He recognized that serving others enriched the giver's soul. To us, his was the brightest of a thousand points of light.

When he lost, he shouldered the blame. He accepted that failure is a part of living a full life. but taught us never to be defined by failure. He showed us how setbacks can strengthen.

None of his disappointments could compare with one of life's greatest tragedies, the loss of a young child.

Jeb and I were too young to remember the pain and agony he and Mom felt when our 3-year-old sister died. We only learned later that Dad, a man of quiet faith, prayed for her daily. He was sustained by the love of the Almighty and the real and enduring love of her Mom. Dad always believed that one day he would hug his precious Robin again.

He loved to laugh, especially at himself. He could tease and needle but never out of malice. He placed great value on a good joke. That's why he chose Simpson to speak.

On e-mail he had a circle of friends with whom he shared or received the latest jokes. His grading system for the quality of the joke was classic George Bush. The rare 7s and 8s were considered huge winners, most of them off-color.

George Bush knew how to be a true and loyal friend. He nurtured and honored his many friendships with a generous and giving soul. There exists thousands of handwritten notes encouraging or sympathizing or thanking his friends and acquaintances.

He had an enormous capacity to give of himself. Many a person would tell you that Dad became a mentor and a father figure in their life. He listened and he consoled. He was their friend. I think of Don Rhodes, Taylor Blanton, Jim Nantz, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and perhaps the unlikeliest of all, the man who defeated him, Bill Clinton. My siblings and I refer to the guys in this group as brothers from other mothers.

He taught us that a day was not meant to be wasted. He played golf at a legendary pace. I always wonder why he insisted on speed golf; he's a good golfer. Here's my conclusion. He played fast so he could move on to the next event, to enjoy the rest of the day, to expend his enormous energy, to live it all. He was born with just two settings, full throttle, then sleep.

He taught us what it means to be a wonderful father, grandfather and great grandfather. He was firm in his principles and supportive as we began to seek our own ways. He encouraged and comforted but never steered. We tested his patience. I know I did. But he always responded with the great gift of unconditional love.

Last Friday when I was told he had minutes to live, I called him. The guy answered the phone, said "I think he can hear you but he hasn't said anything for most of the day." I said, "Dad, I love you and you've been a wonderful father," and the last words he would ever say on Earth were, "I love you too."

To us he was close to perfect. but not totally. His short game was lousy. He wasn't exactly Fred Astaire on the dance floor. The man couldn't stomach vegetables, especially broccoli. And by the way, he passed these genetic defects along to us.

Finally, every day of his 73 years of marriage, Dad taught us all what it means to be a great husband. He married his sweetheart. He adored her. He laughed and cried with her. He was dedicated to her totally.

In his old age dad enjoyed watching police show reruns, the volume on high, all the while holding Mom's hand. After Mom died, Dad was strong, but all he really wanted to do was hold Mom's hand again.

Of course Dad taught me another special lesson. He showed me what it means to be a President who serves with integrity, leads with courage and acts with love in his heart for the citizens of our country.

When the history books are written, they will say that George H.W. Bush was a great President of the United States, a diplomat of unmatched skill, a Commander in Chief of formidable accomplishment, and a gentleman who executed the duties of his office with dignity and honor.

In his inaugural address the 41st President of the United States he said this: "We cannot hope only to leave our children a bigger car, a bigger bank account, we must hope to give them a sense of what it means to be a loyal friend, a loving parent, a citizen who leaves his home, his neighborhood and town better than he found it. What do we want the men and women who work with us to say? That we were more driven to succeed than anyone around us or that we stopped to ask if a sick child had gotten better and stayed a moment there to trade a word of friendship?"

Well, Dad, we're going to remember you for exactly that and much more, and we're going to miss you. Your decency, sincerity, and kind soul will stay with us forever. So through our tears, let us know the blessings of knowing and loving you, a great and noble man. The best father a son or daughter could have. And in our grief, let us smile knowing that Dad is hugging Robin and holding Mom's hand again.