The Rev. Franklin Graham is opening up about the toll his father Billy Graham’s worldwide ministry took on their family, recalling a heartbreaking moment when he failed to recognize his own dad after months apart.
“Mama, who’s that strange man in the bed with you?” Graham recalled asking his mother after his father returned from a six-month trip to Australia.
The evangelical leader shared the memory, which he attributed to his mother, during an interview on Sean Hannity’s podcast, “Hang Out with Sean Hannity,” describing how his father’s extended travels sometimes kept him away from home for months at a time.
Graham explained that the trip took place before jet aircraft became commonplace, when reaching Australia required multiple stops which drew out the experience along the way, including lengthy layovers in Hawaii and Fiji.
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“You would fly to Hawaii, then you’d stay a couple of days, then you’d fly to Fiji and stay a couple days, and then you’re going down to Sydney or Melbourne or wherever you’re going,” he recalled.
“But my father spent all that time in Australia, and so when he came home … we [his children] just didn’t recognize him,” he added.
Graham said the incident “hurt” his father, whose evangelistic endeavors remained a cornerstone of his life’s work. The world-renowned reverend, who spent decades traveling the globe to preach the Gospel, became one of the most influential figures of the 20th century, reaching millions through his evangelistic crusades, television broadcasts and other outreach efforts.
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Today, Franklin Graham follows in his late father’s footsteps, teaching the message of God’s word around the world as president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and serving as a prominent voice on matters of the Christian faith.
His wide-ranging conversation with Hannity also touched on his unwavering faith in Christ and the influence of the Graham family’s ministry.
Fox News fans can watch or listen to the full interview on “Hang Out with Sean Hannity,” streaming on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and iHeart.
