From the Media Relations Desk of Scott Epstein:
The following statements were sent to me directly from SUPERSTAR BILLY GRAHAM just late last night since i have him booked on WrestleReunion in LA on 1/29-31. There is no doubt in my mind, barring an untimely you know what, he will be there signing for his enormous amount of fans as he has always been there for me for over 37 years.
“Last Friday nite, Nov. 26, I was admitteded to the Mayo Clinic Hospital here in Phoenix Az. at 12 midnite with my feet, ankles and calves extremely swollen and beet red. The liver is getting more scarred with each passing day and the spleen is swelling. Fluid is trying to escape, so siting at my computer and also painting kicked in gravity and pulled the excess fluid down to my lower legs and knees. The beet red was from small blood vessels filling with blood looking for an exit internally. I had an infection in one toe and was given IV antibiotics and water pills. lasix)
This is officially my last ever personal appearance at a wresting event in LA, or anywhere. It’s still 8 weeks away. The only reason I am risking going to the event is the fact I will be riding in Bill Anderson’s car and there is the AZ / CA border town of Blyth with hospital accommodations 100 miles from Phoenix and then 100 miles to Indio and Palm Springs, then about 75 miles to San Bernardino. So I have reasonable hospital accesses all the way over. I will start having nose bleeds and bleeding from the esophagus as small blood vessels begin to burst as pressure builds. Additionally, my agent and dearest friend Scott Epstein asked me to do this signing for the fans and I will not disappoint them or him as long as I am breathing. James of LOTR has invited me for his May show in New Jersey but I will not be going. I cannot have a nose bleed at 35,000 feet in the air, or a vein in my esophagus burst, you can bleed out in 20 minutes and die on the spot, My liver doctor told me on Tues 23 that it would be an unacceptable risk to fly across the country from Phoenix to the Newark airport, it could be a death trip with a sudden bleed at 35,000 feet up. This is officially my last public wrestling related autograph signing event, not a work, please, I don’t work the real possibility of death in an air plane some where over Kansas or Texas on my way to Newark.
Things are getting interesting now, I could easily have a bleed at the event in LA sitting there signing autographs, If you want my autograph and a chane to meet me, you will only get it in LA at the wrestling reunion event, unless you knock on my door here in Phoenix. I am looking forward with extremely high anticipation of attending the wrestling reunion event and again not a work, I am ending my run on this earth and have reserved a plot next to Eddie G. at Green Acres cemetery in Phoenix AZ. I have chosen music and am selecting certain paintings of mine and photos that I will want displayed. One of the minister from my church, Joe Jackson, a dear friend, will be conducting the service. He is not the Sr. pastor but a traveling evangelist who played pro ball with the Jets and Vikings. His wife Terill will be handling all emails, phone calls and hotel etc, My agent and lifelong friend Scott Epstein will be releasing her phone number and email address in the coming weeks. I am very excited about the LA event and looking forward to meeting fine wrestling fans and seeing some wrestlers that I have not seen in many years. I have already sent Scott some one of a kind unique phoots of me never before seen or published, some newer and many old old school bodybuilding and wrestling ones. They are not being reproduced but will be the originals for sale at my “LAST STOP”
Best regards and live life with zest, you only get one run, I have no resentments. This liver gave me an excellent additional 8 year run.
Love you all, especially you Scottyboy…….
Billy Graham”
Scott O. Epstein
Publicist/Talent Booker
Booker of Champions Since 1974