Former President’s Son Saves the Day for Boaters

Byline: Associated Press

WELLS HARBOR, MAINE (AP) — A stranded boater and her six passengers received help from Neil Bush — son of former president George H.W. Bush and brother of former president George W. Bush — when her vessel stopped running after colliding with a lobster buoy.

The 23-foot Sea Ray powerboat’s owner, Shirley Polinger, told the Portland Press Herald that she flagged down a passing boat — and it turned out to be Fidelity IV, one of the elder former president’s high-performance fishing boats, kept at the family compound in Kennebunkport. At the helm was Neil Bush, who was in the area visiting family before heading to Washington, D.C.

Polinger reportedly asked to borrow a knife. However, 58-year-old Bush stopped to help — and he even jumped into the water to try and untangle line from a fouled propeller, Polinger said.

Bush later towed the disabled 23-foot Sea Ray back to the jetty. The Wells Harbor harbormaster brought the boat, Thank You Norman, the rest of the way back to the harbor.