Evangelist Billy Graham was admitted to Mission Hospitals in Asheville, NC for evaluation and treatment of injuries from a fall he suffered early morning, May 14. Reverend Graham had been home recovering from a partial hip replacement performed January 6 at Mayo Clinic's St. Luke's Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida.

His orthopaedic surgeon stated that he was in stable condition and that preliminary tests indicated a possible hairline fracture to the pelvis. Further tests will he performed to assess the extent of his injuries, guide the treatment plan and determine the time needed for full recovery.

Rev. Graham said he is resting comfortably, and expressed gratitude for prayers on his behalf.

Graham, born 1918, an ordained Southern Baptist (SBC), heads today a US$100 million a year evangelistic empire, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA). He received a solid foundation in the Scriptures at Florida Bible Institute (now Trinity College in Florida). In 1943 he graduated from Wheaton College in Illinois and married fellow student Ruth McCue Bell, daughter of a missionary surgeon, who spent the first 17 years of her life in China.

Billy Graham has preached the Gospel to more people in live audiences than anyone else in history -- over 210 million people in more than 185 countries and territories -- through various meetings, including Mission World and Global Mission. Hundreds of millions more have been reached through television, video, film and webcasts.

The BGEA also operates a 1,500 acre Billy Graham Training Center, "The Cove," located in Asheville, North Carolina. The Cove was started in 1987 and includes an inn and a Cove camp for youths ages 9-15. Approximately 5-10,000 adults are trained there annually in Graham-style evangelism.