Evangelist Franklin Graham has paid tribute to the late Senator Lindsey Graham, saying he was "surprised and saddened" by the longtime South Carolina lawmaker's sudden passing at the age of 71.
In a heartfelt social media post, Graham noted that the senator had recently returned from a trip to Ukraine and had been scheduled to appear on NBC's Meet the Press before news of his death shocked Washington.
"Only God knows the number of our days on this earth," Franklin Graham wrote, before asking followers to pray for the senator's loved ones.
The evangelist gave special mention to Lindsey Graham's sister, Darline, whom the senator helped raise after both of their parents died while he was still a young man.
Franklin Graham also reflected on the senator's decades of public service, noting that before serving more than 20 years in the U.S. Senate, Lindsey Graham represented South Carolina in the U.S. House of Representatives. He also served for 33 years in the U.S. Air Force, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve, retiring as a colonel in 2015.
The senator died after what his office described as a "brief and sudden illness." Tributes have poured in from leaders across the political spectrum, recognizing his long career in public service and his influence on American foreign policy.
Franklin Graham concluded his message by encouraging Christians to remember the Graham family in prayer, saying the South Carolina senator "will be greatly missed."
