Franklin Graham is joining many well known North Carolinians in expressing his condolences on the passing of Nelson Mandela. The Christian evangelist and son of Billy Graham spoke with WUNC News Friday. The younger Graham said he will remember Mandela as a freedom fighter, and man of forgiveness.
"The South African regime under Apartheid was afraid of him." says Franklin Graham. "But they didn’t need to be afraid of him. Because when he came out of prison he never, never tried to be vindictive. He never tried to go back and get even. Nelson Mandela looked forward looked forward not backward.
Graham added Mandela was one of the great statesmen in the World. Mandela was 95 when he passed away in South Africa yesterday. Billy Graham is also 95 years old.
According to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, the two men never met but corresponded through letters during Mandela's 27-year prison sentence. Graham did hold two of his Crusades in Durban and Johannesburg in 1973.
