WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and his spouse, first girl Jill Biden, visited Youngsters’s Nationwide Hospital on the Friday earlier than Christmas to go to with sufferers and browse a narrative.
Sitting in entrance of a towering Christmas tree, the president helped maintain the guide whereas the primary girl learn “The Snowy Day,” an award-winning story a few boy named Peter and his adventures within the snow. This 12 months is the sixtieth anniversary of the guide, written by Ezra Jack Keats.
Jill Biden famous that Washington “had slightly, tiny little bit of snow” Friday as temperatures plunged. “Did anyone see it?” she requested.
When the story talked about Peter and snow angels, she requested how most of the sufferers had ever made them. “I beloved to try this,” she mentioned.
When completed studying, the primary girl mentioned, “Merry Christmas and glad holidays everyone. Thanks for coming and listening to me learn and have the president maintain the guide.”
“That’s my job,” he added.
Biden and his spouse additionally met in personal with pediatric sufferers and their households. The White Home mentioned additionally they thanked docs, nurses and employees, together with on the hospital’s cardiac intensive care unit.
Jill Biden’s go to continued an 80-year annual custom relationship to Bess Truman of first girls bringing vacation cheer to youngsters who’re too ailing to be at house on Christmas. President Biden joined his spouse final 12 months, making the primary go to by a sitting president.
Kurt Newman, the hospital’s president and CEO, mentioned he requested the president final 12 months to return this 12 months and exclaimed, “Look, he did!”
“It’s so essential to all of our households, our youngsters and our employees as a result of there’ve been plenty of challenges,” Newman mentioned of the go to. ”We look ahead to seeing you subsequent 12 months.”
Earlier than leaving, the president informed mother and father within the viewers to “be robust.” He mentioned his household has spent plenty of time in youngsters’s hospitals, too. “It’s gonna be OK,” Biden mentioned.