Phoenix advocate for children shares memories of George H.W. Bush
Dec 5, 2018, 4:18 AM
Sara O’Meara (right) and Yvonne Fedderson (left), founders of Childhelp, say former President George H.W. Bush was a big supporter of their group's efforts. (Courtesy Photo)
(Courtesy Photo)
PHOENIX — As the nation mourns the death of former President George H.W. Bush, a co-founder of a Phoenix-based nonprofit remembered the late president as a big supporter of her group’s efforts to advocate for abused and neglected children.
Sara O’Meara, a founder of Childhelp, said Bush and his wife, Barbara, attended several of her group’s events and had a special relationship with the nonprofit.
“He really wanted to talk to us mostly about the children that we cared for and the type of abuse we had and what we felt that the true problem was in America,” O’Meara said.
She said during one of the events in Phoenix, she introduced Bush to some of the kids they served. She recalled seeing him kneel down to talk to the children, which she said showed “the type of person that he was.”
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“He was the kind of person that you would never expect that he was of power in any way,” O’Meara said. “He was such a class act, and he never, ever called attention to himself.”
O’Meara said she and Childhelp co-founder Yvonne Fedderson first met Bush in the late 1980s when he was vice president. They kept in touch with him and his wife throughout the years and developed a close relationship.
O’Meara said like the Bush family, she also lost a child. Her son was killed in an accident when he was 22 years old.
She recalled that the Bush’s found out about her loss and made it possible for her to get a photo from the White House that was taken of her son at a fundraiser.
“It was the last photograph of my son alive,” O’Meara said. “That’s the type of thing they would do.”
“They cared about people,” she added. “They cared about your heart. They cared about your losses. They were just outstanding.”
