On the eve of Independence Day, Melania Trump, the First Lady of the United States, visited the Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, July 3. She spent time creating patriotic themed crafts with the young patients, personally giving them gifts and blessings, continuing the tradition of care for the pediatric institution by past First Ladies.
During her visit, Melania also visited the “Bunny Mellon Healing Garden,” a garden she named and opened during her husband’s previous term in office. Together with the children, she decorated the garden with colorful stones and drew a red heart on them. Interacting gently with the children, some of whom were playing with clay-like “slime,” she smiled and remarked, “Wow, that’s a big slime!” creating a warm and playful atmosphere.
Melania gifted each child a goody bag containing a blanket and a teddy bear wearing a “Be Best” t-shirt, symbolizing her advocacy for children’s well-being. She asked the children about their favorite music, sports, and inquired, “Do you like chocolate and ice cream?” The children eagerly raised their hands, expressing their preferences, to which she responded with a smile, “I like them too.”
In the garden, Melania led the children in planting small American flags and red, white, and blue pinwheels in the soil to add a touch of color for the upcoming Independence Day celebrations. She expressed, “There are so many stones here, dressing up beautifully for Independence Day. You can come here tomorrow and have a small party in the red area. Maybe come in the evening when it’s cooler. These decorations are really beautiful.”
This garden is dedicated to sick children, in tribute to the consistent support of pediatric medical facilities by past First Ladies. The garden is named in honor of former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy’s close friend and White House Rose Garden designer, Rachel “Bunny” Mellon. On the same day, Melania also inspected a newly planted yellow rose recently donated by the White House alongside White House Chief Gardener Dale Haney.
Later, she visited the heart and kidney wards, where she had a private meeting with a 3-year-old patient. In the evening, Melania was expected to return to the Oval Office at the White House to meet with President Trump and the last American hostage released from the Gaza Strip in May, Edan Alexander.
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