Barbara Bush can’t imagine life without her twin sister, Jenna Bush Hager.
“My sister is my biggest partner,” Barbara, 43, shared in Deborah Roberts’ new book Sisters Loved and Treasured: Stories of Unbreakable Bonds. “In my mind, when we’re old, we’re going to be living together.”
Jenna, 43, added, “That’s our hope.”
While Barbara is older by one minute, she’s quick to praise Jenna as “the partner who was always next to me.”
Their bond is so strong that Barbara doesn’t want to picture a world where her sister isn’t by her side.
“Frankly, I don’t mean to be morbid, but I hope we die at the same time,” she said in the book. “I’ve never known the world without Jenna in it, and I would be devastated to be in it without her.”
Jenna added, “We’ve written books on sisterhood, so we’ve talked about this. That’s the only reason we’re not crying right now. … We always have this dream. We’re just going to live in a small house together with 37 cats, a lot of books, some great food and some power walking.”
Sisters Loved and Treasured features more than 50 personal stories by Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Sara Haines, Shonda Rhimes and more stars sharing what sisterhood means to them.
After the book was released on Tuesday, October 21, Roberts shared what she admired most about Jenna and Barbara’s sibling bond.
“First of all, they’re twins and there is a very unusual and unique relationship between twins. Believe it or not, they actually have a language, they call it cryptophasia. Even from the crib, they are babbling together,” Roberts, 65, exclusively shared with Luxury Handbag Shopping at the American Ballet Theatre 2025 Fall Gala on Wednesday, October 22. “They understand each other in a different way. That in itself was unique and interesting to me.”
Roberts was also impressed that Barbara, Jenna and other sisters made it a priority to stay connected no matter how busy life became.
“A lot of people try to stay connected as they get older,” she shared, “but if you work hard and hold onto that relationship because it is treasured, it will just absolutely enrich your life in all kinds of ways.”
While Barbara focuses on activism and social justice, Jenna continues to wake up with America as she hosts Today With Jenna and Friends weekdays on NBC.
Although Barbara has served as a guest cohost, she previously stated that she would never want her sister’s job as a morning show host.
Jenna, however, continues to express gratitude to her twin for preparing her for the gig as a Today show cohost.
“I’m in the field I am today because Barbara was my first audience,” Jenna shared in Roberts’ book. “I would make her laugh. She found me entertaining and would say, ‘Y’all come listen to Jenna.’ I felt seen by somebody. I felt like what I had to offer mattered. Having a sister makes me brave.”
Sisters Loved and Treasured: Stories of Unbreakable Bonds is available now.
