(CNN) – Evangelist Billy Graham — a confidant to presidents, a guiding light to generations of American evangelicals and a globe-trotting preacher who converted millions to Christianity — died Wednesday at the age of 99, his spokesman confirmed to CNN.
Graham passed away at his home in Montreat, North Carolina, spokesman Jeremy Blume said.
The skinny preacher with the booming voice evangelized to nearly 215 million people over six decades and prayed with US presidents from Harry Truman to Barack Obama.
Several presidents, including Lyndon Johnson, George W. Bush and Bill
Clinton, relied closely on his spiritual counsel.
He was tall and handsome, with a disarming aw-shucks demeanor and a Southern twang to his voice. But Graham’s influence, historians say, was monumental. Some called him “America’s pastor,” others referred to him as the “Protestant pope.”
Graham is reported to have persuaded more than 3 million people to commit their lives to Christianity and his preaching was heard in 185 of the world’s 195 countries, according to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
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Some called him "America's pastor," others referred to him as the "Protestant pope." He preached to nearly 215 million people over six decades and prayed with every US president since Harry Truman.
Billy Graham has died at the age of 99: https://t.co/KrCemWjGXc pic.twitter.com/uUqsAfDaLl
— CNN (@CNN) February 21, 2018
"Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God." Billy Graham (1918–2018)
— Ryan Griffith (@ryangriffith) February 21, 2018
Not politics nor life’s simulated ecstasy, was what drove Reverend Billy Graham, but his love for God and God’s children, all of his children, and a tigerish resolve to make this world a better place was his propellant.
Rest in Peace, Reverend Graham, you will be sorely missed. pic.twitter.com/GeQEVyOnTz
— The Reagan Battalion (@ReaganBattalion) February 21, 2018
When VP Pence caught heck for his statement that he does not allow himself to be alone with any woman other than his wife, I found out that policy was actually originated by Rev. Graham. This is why you never heard of Rev. Graham involved in any fooling around like so many of our other so-called leaders. Rev. Graham wasn’t perfect, but he did his best to live a good life and teach the way to a good life to the rest of us.
Rest in peace, Rev. Graham.
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