Hundreds line route to watch Billy Graham’s motorcade
One mourner sings to pay respects to ‘greatest preacher who ever lived’
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Hundreds gathered in Black Mountain and along highways to say goodbye to the Rev. Billy Graham, whose body was taken to the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte via motorcade Saturday morning.
Graham died Wednesday in his Montreat home. He was 99.
About 250 family, friends and staffers attended a private prayer service at the Cove on Saturday morning before the motorcade left the facility, also called the Billy Graham Training Center.
Thousands lined the roads between the Cove and I-40 outside of Black Mountain, many with one hand holding their phones for pictures and the other hand over their heart.
Dozens also were standing on each of the bridges over I-40, pool reporter Mark Barrett reported from the motorcade. Some motorists in westbound lanes pulled over.
In downtown Black Mountain, hundreds gathered to sing hymns, say prayers and pay their respects to one of North Carolina’s most influential men.
Jim Spencer, an employee of Town Hardware, said he’d never seen so many people lining the streets. Not even the Christmas parade could compete, he said.
“He was a man that the world loved, that’s for sure,” Spencer said.
Lynda Davis, 69, a gospel singer who has lived in Black Mountain her entire life, says she met Billy Graham after singing at the funeral of one of his groundskeepers 22 years ago.
This time, she came to sing for Billy, she said.
“What a blessing,” Davis said through tears as the motorcade drew near. “My heart is pounding. It’s bittersweet, but I know I’ll see him again.”
People along the road adopted all sorts of postures as the motorcade passed. Most commonly, people simply held up their smartphones to get video or a photo.
But clearly for many people, seeing the hearse carrying Graham’s body was much more than a matter of curiosity. Church was in session along State Street. People read from Bibles and sang hymns. They quoted scripture and talked about their favorite memories from Graham’s crusades.
An evangelistic Christian men’s group of 29 happened to be in town for their annual retreat, which takes place in Montreat. The “interdenominational, inter-generational, interracial” group was honored to say goodbye to
Graham, said member Robert Cely.
“He was a great evangelist, a great man and a great American,” he said. “You can’t really be a believer today without having been influenced in some way by Billy Graham, even if you don’t realize it.”
One man held his palms together as if in prayer. Another appeared to be crossing himself. Many saluted, some wearing uniforms, some not. Some waved. Two women knelt by the side of the road in Black Mountain.
Hats were removed and some people looked solemn. Others, like Lynda Davis, were jubilant. Davis had planned to sing “Just As I Am,” one of Graham’s favorite songs with which he closed many of his crusades, as the motorcade passed.
When the people around her began singing “Amazing Grace” instead, Davis joined them.
“I’m not going to holler at him,” she said. “I’m going to sing to pay my respect to the greatest preacher who ever lived.”
Davis and her husband, Terry, carried with them a neon yellow sign that said Graham’s new address was heaven. Other people held signs, too. One read, “We (heart) you.”
The message on several was: “Well done good and faithful servant.”
Graham is to be buried at the Billy Graham Library on Friday, but his body will first lie in honor in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda in Washington on Wednesday and Thursday.