Billy Graham Admitted to Hospital for Pneumonia
The "pastor of presidents" and world renowned evangelist Billy Graham was admitted to the hospital Wednesday morning for pneumonia and pulmonary treatment.
He is said to be resting comfortably at Mission Hospital in Asheville, N.C., where he was admitted after having trouble breathing.
A spokesman for Graham said the 92-year-old evangelist had been put on a course of antibiotics and that doctors did not believe his condition to be life-threatening.
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“He had a slight fever and experienced difficulty breathing, but he was never in any distress or in an acute situation,” said spokesperson Larry Ross.
Graham’s primary physician, Dr. Lucian Rice, said in a statement released by the hospital: “He is resting comfortably and is fully alert.”
Dr. Shaw Henderson also confirmed that "he is clinically stable at this time.”
No date has been set yet for his release.
The once globe-trotting preacher currently spends much of his time at his mountain home in Montreat, N.C. Graham suffers from a number of age-related medical conditions including macular degeneration and his hearing has declined in recent years.
He has preached the Gospel in person and through TV and radio to an estimated 2.2 billion people worldwide.
He held his last evangelistic crusade at Flushing Meadows in New York in 2005. Since then, he has made only fleeting public appearances, although he continues to meet prominent guests from time to time.
Last December, he welcomed former President George W. Bush and his wife Laura to the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, N.C., where they signed copies of their memoirs.
Graham has met or ministered to every U.S. President since 1950. A guest at his home last year was President Barack Obama, who paid a visit not long after his election.
Though retired, Graham keeps up with ministry happenings at the Billy Graham Evangelical Association, now headed by his son Franklin, and with current events through media. He spends each day in Bible study and prayer with family and staff. The beloved preacher is also working on book on aging and "necessary emotional and spiritual preparation for what he has found to be the most fulfilling years of life," according to Ross.
[UPDATE] 5/12 2:10 p.m.
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association released an update on Thursday, informing the public that Graham continues to recover from pneumonia at Mission Hospital and is in fair condition. Graham also expressed appreciation for the outpouring of love and concern. “I am doing better with each passing hour, and I am grateful for your concern, and send in return my appreciation and love for you all," he stated.
