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Graham: But then you have
the renewal! The exciting story
of the restoration of the liver
transplant, and the stoppage of
using drugs that turned my life
around. And of course with the
help of God, but also with the
help of our own willpower that
we have within us, doing a gut
check…and just making it happen!
Chappell: Superstar, you
mention the help of God in
getting you to the point now
where you have turned your life
around. Perhaps coming full
circle, I think many folks will
find it interesting that in your
early life, you actually toured
the country preaching the
gospel.
Graham: I did, I sure did. I
was a minister. You know, I
heard the story that if you
don’t get saved you’re going to
go to hell…hellfire and
brimstone! You better get this
message right and take it and
believe it, or you’re going to
have a tormenting eternity.
(laughs) I said, ‘Man, if this
is the case, I’d better go out
and tell all the people about
that!’
Chappell: I found that part
of the book really fascinating,
probably because I had no idea
that was part of your early
life.
Some other tidbits from the book
that most folks wouldn’t know
about you from your early
life…you were a bouncer, a
professional boxer, a repo man,
a CFL football player and you
were in a training camp with the
Oakland Raiders!
Graham: That’s exactly
right! (laughs) You really did
read the book twice, didn’t you?
Chappell: (laughs) You know
I wouldn’t lie about that,
Superstar!
You’ve certainly led a life
that’s been a full one, in every
respect.
Graham: I know…pretty
amazing. And you know, Dave, the
most amazing part, is that my
life is still going!
Chappell: It truly is.
Graham: I’m three years out
from my liver transplant, now.
And I’ve never been healthier.
I’ve never been more motivated
and focused.
Chappell: That’s so great to
hear, Superstar.
Graham: I’m thinking
clearly…my head isn’t all
muddled from drugs. So, I feel
like I have a whole new life
left to live, you know?
Chappell: Talking about your
successful liver transplant, I
thought one of the most poignant
and moving portions of your book
is where you talk about your
liver donor, Katie Gillroy…the
young lady who died in a car
accident. She signed an organ
donor card, and you received her
liver…at that point in time, you
were very close to dying with
liver failure.
Kate Gillroy
(Photo from
SuperstarBillyGraham.com)
You
speak of now being very close
with her family.
Graham: (pauses) Yes, yes…
Chappell: And, of course,
liver transplants aren’t always
successful even under the best
of circumstances and scenarios.
Graham: Oh that’s exactly
right. Of course, the uniqueness
of how close we are to her
family now…we literally live
just fifteen minutes apart in
Phoenix.
Chappell: Really…that’s
something.
Graham: It’s like we’re
family.
Chappell: You all have a
very special and unique bond
together, without question.
Graham: Katie Gillroy is
always very much in my thoughts.
Valerie and I keep a photo of
Katie on our mantel at our home.
Chappell: Much like your
health and spiritual side have
come full circle, I’d like to
close with talking about how
your wrestling side has come
full circle as well. I think the
Mid-Atlantic fans will be
interested in reading in the
book about your earliest days in
the wrestling business.
You
were broken in by Stu Hart, in
his infamous “dungeon.” And you
were very close for a long time
with Ray Stevens, who was a big
star in the Mid-Atlantic area in
the twilight of his career.
Graham: You’re absolutely
right. Ray was my wrestling hero
when I started out in San
Francisco, you know. He’s a hard
act to follow, he really is.
Chappell: From those early
days in the wrestling business,
you rose to your biggest fame in
the WWWF…but then in the 1990s
you had a major falling out with
Vince McMahon, which is
chronicled in the book.
I
thought it was very interesting
to read of your coming back to
the WWE fold, culminating when
you were inducted into the WWE
Hall of Fame in 2004. I
interviewed Greg Valentine a
week before he was inducted with
you, and I remember how excited
he was. With everything that had
gone on between you and Vince
McMahon, that moment had to have
been very special…the circle was
complete!
Graham: Oh absolutely, that
was the crowning moment! And it
does show you…that miracles DO
happen! That WAS a miracle!
(laughs)
Chappell: (laughs) Never say
never!
Graham: Yes!
Chappell: In closing,
Superstar, I know you are out
and about now actively promoting
“Tangled Ropes.”
Graham: Yes, all over the
place!
Chappell: It was great
seeing that you recently were in
the old Mid-Atlantic
Championship Wrestling
stronghold, Charlotte, North
Carolina, doing some publicity
for the book.
Graham: I did a book signing
in Charlotte, and then later
that day attended the RAW show
with Valerie. Vince McMahon
plugged the book and the DVD. We
had a great time in Charlotte.
Chappell: Superstar, I’m
glad you mentioned your DVD
that’s currently out as part of
the WWE Legends series. It’s
entitled “20 Years Too
Soon---The Superstar Billy
Graham Story.”
I
read the book, and then watched
the DVD. It was quite something
to see many of the things I read
in the book, come directly out
of your mouth on the DVD. As
great as the book is…sometimes a
picture is worth a thousand
words, as the old saying goes.
Certainly, the DVD is a great
complement to your book. And
there are also some excellent
full length matches on the DVD
as well!
Graham: Thank you for
mentioning the DVD as well,
Dave. One of the matches on
there is myself against Bruno
Sammartino.
Chappell: Where you win the
WWWF Title in 1977.
Graham: That’s right.
Chappell: Well, Superstar, I
want to thank you again for
spending some time with the
Mid-Atlantic Gateway today, and
giving us your thoughts and
insights on your autobiography,
“Tangled Ropes.” It was a real
pleasure speaking with you, and
I hope we will talk again soon.
Graham: Thank you, and
absolutely, let’s do it again
soon buddy.
Superstar Billy Graham received
his liver transplant on October
18, 2002. Since then Billy has
dedicated his life to
encouraging people to become
organ donors.
If you would like
to learn more, please visit
www.organdonor.gov
PURCHASE BILLY GRAHAM'S BOOK AND
DVD! |
