Midnight Alert
When Jenna Bush Hager received a late‑night text from her twin sister, Barbara Pierce Bush, the message was urgent: the baby was coming far earlier than expected. Jenna paused, then burst into tears. “I started bawling,” she admitted.
No Time, No Supplies
Barbara and her husband, Craig Coyne, welcomed their daughter, Cora Georgia Coyne, on September 27, 2021, in Portland, Maine — nearly six weeks before the due date.
Barbara recalled: “We didn’t have a car seat to bring her home from the hospital… or any of the necessities one needs with a baby.”
The Rapid Response
The very next day, Jenna flew to Maine. There, she headed straight to a store and stocked up on diapers, a car seat, blankets — everything the new parents lacked. “She went to Target and did a big run,” Barbara said.
A Meaningful Birthplace
Cora spent about four weeks in the NICU because she arrived early and needed help getting stronger.
What made the moment even more poignant: the hospital was named the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital — after Barbara’s late grandmother, former First Lady Barbara Bush. “It felt divine,” Barbara said.
Sisterhood in Action
Watching her sister step into motherhood changed how Jenna saw Barbara. “She hasn’t needed any advice,” Jenna said, “but I get to watch her fall in love with her daughter.”
And now, as aunt, Jenna said the best part is being there for Cora — and seeing her own children fall in love with their baby cousin.
