ORLANDO, Fla. — For one Central Florida man, the death of George H.W. Bush reminds him of what he calls the highlight of his life.
“It closes a chapter in my life,” said Rennie Rodriguez, a former U.S. Secret Service Special Agent. From 1982 to 1984, Rodriguez was assigned to protect then-Vice President George Bush and his wife, Barbara.
“I enjoyed going there. Never missed a day,” Rodriguez recollected to WFTV Channel 9. “I felt like I was doing something to protect my family.”
REMEMBERING GEORGE H.W. BUSH:
- Dad's last words to me were 'I love you, too,' George W. Bush says in tearful eulogy
- How George and Barbara Bush stayed married for 73 years: He never said 'No' to her
- Photos: George H. W. Bush through the years
- SPECIAL COVERAGE: More stories and tributes to George H.W. Bush
One reason Rodriguez said he liked serving the Bushes so much was their appreciation for those who protected them.
“They constantly reminded you: ‘Thank you. Thank you for what you’re doing,’” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez now lives in Lake Nona. He has a hand-written note from Bush thanking him for his work. “With many thanks for taking such good care of us,” Rodriguez read.
How George and Barbara Bush stayed married for 73 years: He never said ‘No' to her
Rodriguez was assigned to the Vice President’s residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington. Rodriguez can still recall the day he and his colleagues had to find a man who was running from police and jumped the fence at the Vice President’s residence.
“I put in a suggestion that we… put in a flood light in that certain area. And I got awarded for that,” Rodriguez recalled.
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Rodriguez’s official duties also included letting the Secret Service team know when the Vice President went to sleep.
Bush watched all three major news networks at night from three TVs in his bedroom, Rodriguez said.
“If they were off and I didn’t see the flickering, then I would come down [and say], ‘Command post, this is Post One, I believe the Timberwolf is asleep at this time.’”
Watch below: Full interview with former Rennie Rodriguez (RAW VIDEO)
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REMEMBERING GEORGE H.W. BUSH:
- Dad's last words to me were 'I love you, too,' George W. Bush says in tearful eulogy
- How George and Barbara Bush stayed married for 73 years: He never said 'No' to her
- Photos: George H. W. Bush through the years
- SPECIAL COVERAGE: More stories and tributes to George H.W. Bush
Cox Media Group
