Billy Graham’s doctor confirmed Thursday that the 92-year-old evangelist has pneumonia, but said he is doing well.
Graham was taken Wednesday to Mission Hospital in Asheville, N.C., where he was started on antibiotics.
Dr. Shaw C. Henderson, a pulmonologist, said Graham is being encouraged to restart normal activities, including physical therapy.
Graham spokesman A. Larry Ross said in a statement that the evangelist started feeling better once he arrived at the hospital near his North Carolina home.
“We anticipate his pneumonia to clear with treatment and hope he will be able to soon return home,” Ross said. No departure date has been determined.
Graham has been mostly homebound in recent years and has suffered from age-related ailments, including hearing loss and macular degeneration.
He has continued to work on writing projects, including a first-person account on aging.
CT Update 4:08 p.m.: Henderson this afternoon said Graham’s temperature remains normal and that his congestion is clearing in response to the antibiotics he is receiving. “Mr. Graham remains in good spirits and continues to make progress during his stay,” Mission Hospital Health System’s Merrell Gregory told reporters in an e-mail. “He resumed a normal routine today, getting up for all of his meals, and completing a light therapy program.” Graham was also visited by pastor Don Wilton, who joins the evangelist for weekly Bible study and prayer.
