Jenna Bush Hager Fights Back Tears as She Drops Daughters at Beloved Texas Camp — Just Days After Flood Tragedy Rocks State
As Texas reels from the devastating floods that ravaged the legendary Camp Mystic, another story of hope, fear, and family tradition is quietly unfolding. Jenna Bush Hager, the beloved TODAY show host and daughter of former President George W. Bush, opened up about the emotional rollercoaster of sending her daughters off to a Texas sleepaway camp this past weekend—a ritual that now feels more fraught than ever.
A Mother’s Heartbreak and Hope
On July 7, Jenna’s voice trembled as she shared her experience live on “TODAY with Jenna & Friends.” “My kids got dropped off at camp yesterday, at another camp in Texas, and putting them on the bus, saying goodbye to them…” she said, pausing as emotion overtook her. For Jenna, this wasn’t just another summer send-off. The weight of recent tragedy hung heavy in the air.
Last year marked the first time both Mila, 12, and Poppy, 9, attended sleepaway camp together—a rite of passage in the Bush family, and one that stretches back generations. Their camp is the same storied institution where Jenna’s own mother, former First Lady Laura Bush, spent her childhood summers. “A rite of passage,” Jenna has called it. But this year, the ritual is shadowed by the unthinkable.
The Shadow of Tragedy
The floods that tore through Camp Mystic last week have left the entire state shaken. For parents like Jenna, the news is a gut punch. “We think about the horror of sending our kids to a place that that is supposed to be — and is — healing and fun and joyful, and all the things that kids deserve to have, and then for something like this to happen,” Jenna said, her words echoing the fears of parents everywhere.
She continued, “And I know so many parents whose kids are at camp or going to camp feel that way. We send our kids into the world with the faith that they can have happy lives, joyful lives. And as adults, we know pain. We hope that our kids never face it.”
A Family Tradition, Now Touched by Fear
For the Bush family, Texas camps are more than just summer fun—they’re sacred ground. “My mom was a counselor there, but also so many of my friends were raised at this camp,” Jenna shared. “Texas camps are institutions, as you just heard, where were many family members — generations — this camp was 100 years old, so grandmothers, mothers, kids have all gone there.”
The sense of continuity is powerful—and so is the sense of loss. The floodwaters didn’t just destroy buildings; they threatened a century-old tradition that binds families and communities together.
The Unbreakable Spirit of Texas
In the face of heartbreak, Jenna’s pride in her home state shines through. “Texas is a resilient, incredible state,” she said, her voice steadying. “You all know I’m a homesick Texan living in New York, and it always is in my heart. And we know that so many of you want to help, and are helping.”
Her cohost Dwyane Wade, himself a parent, chimed in with a sobering reminder: “As parents, there are certain places that we send our kids, and we feel those are the places of safety for them — the school and camps — because we know the growth and evolution that happens at these places, but tragedy also occurs.”
Letting Go, With Love and Faith
Jenna Bush Hager’s story is one every parent can relate to: the agony and hope of letting go, the belief that the world can still be good, even when it feels broken. Dropping her daughters off at camp this year wasn’t just a family tradition—it was an act of faith, a testament to resilience, and a reminder that, even in the darkest times, Texas spirit endures.
As the state mourns and rebuilds, Jenna’s words linger: “We send our kids into the world with faith.” And in Texas, that faith is as deep and enduring as the rivers that run through it.
