Death of America's pastor, Billy Graham, hits hard locally

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Some Liberty University students may be too young to know who the Rev. Billy Graham was. But 21-year-old Florida native Ioana Zivku says Graham's ministry was a big part of her upbringing.

"I would listen to a lot of his speaking and read books about him. Even Franklin Graham would go to some of his events that were around my area,” Ioana Zivku, senior at Liberty University, said. 

Liberty University president Jerry Falwell Jr. took to Twitter saying quote: "The Christian faith has lost its greatest orator of the last century who gave hope to billions that, even though we are all sinners, there is hope and eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ." He also mentioned, Graham's family were students at the university, which prides itself on building champions for Christ.   

"And Billy Graham was a champion. So we pray every day. We teach every day. We come alongside students every day with the vision that we are preparing people to take the places of people like Dr. Billy Graham, Dr. Jerry Falwell Sr.,” Ronald Hawkins, provost and chief academic professor of School of Divinity, said. 

After graduating this year Zivku has plans to use her degree in a church and replicate some of Graham's teachings. 

“That passion that he has (had), and the bravery that he has (had) can be very impactful. So if people my age were to look into it and do a little bit of research, it can be very helpful in their day to day walk with the Lord and even in terms of what they study,” Zivku said. 

Liberty University remembers Billy Graham:  http://www.liberty.edu/news/index.cfm?PID=18495&MID=259522