'Superstar' Billy Graham Issues Statement On His Health

Former WWF champion Superstar Graham issued the following statement via his agent Scott Epstein today:

Last Friday nite Nov. 26 I was admitted 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 scared with each passing day and the spleen is swelling. fluid is trying to escape so sitting at my computer and also painting kicked in gravity and pulled the excess fluid down to my lower legs, knees down the beet red was from small blood vessels filling with blood looking for an exit from internally. I had an infection in one toe and was given IV antibiotics and water pills, lasics.

This is officially my last ever personal appearance at a wresting event in LA, or anywhere, its 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 access 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.

James [Legends of the Ring] 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 airplane 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 chance 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 Acers cemetery in Phoenix AZ. I have chosen music and 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, Dave Meltzer and Scott Ephstein 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.

Best regards and live life with zest, you only get one run,

Billy Graham