Evangelist Billy Graham was hospitalized Saturday after tripping and falling over one of his dogs the night before at his home in western North Carolina, a hospital statement said.
Evangelist Billy Graham, pictured in 2005, has suffered a number of physical ailments.
Graham, 89, had discomfort and bruising from the accident Friday night. He was listed in fair condition at Mission Hospital, the facility said in a statement.
“His physicians report that X-rays showed no broken bones,” the statement said.
Doctors evaluated Graham’s condition late Friday, and the Southern Baptist minister chose to stay overnight because of the late hour, the hospital said. “According to his nurses, Mr. Graham had an uneventful night and was able to sleep.”
Graham hopes to return to his home in Montreat later Saturday, the hospital said.
In February, Graham had elective surgery to replace a shunt that maintains normal pressure in his head, the hospital said. The shunt was installed in 2000 to combat symptoms of hydrocephalus, a condition that causes a buildup of fluid on the brain, according to Graham’s Web site.
Graham also has faced prostate cancer and Parkinson’s disease. He underwent hip replacement surgery after fracturing his pelvis in a fall in 2004.
The founder of the Billy Graham Evangelical Association has preached to millions over six decades, and has provided counsel to generations of U.S. presidents, beginning with Harry S. Truman.
He will celebrate his 90th birthday November 7.
