FORT MITCHELL — Meribeth Sabo figured Thursday was her last chance to see the Rev. Billy Graham at a crusade.

        Ms. Sabo, 40, was one of about 110 people who filled two chartered buses at Fort Mitchell Baptist Church to head to Louisville for the opening night of the Rev. Mr. Graham's crusade, at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium in Louisville. The crusade continues through Sunday.

Ken Howe of Edgewood boards a charter bus to the Rev. Billy Graham's crusade in Louisville on Thursday. (Yuli Wu photo) | ZOOM |

        “I know he's getting old,” Ms. Sabo said. “This might be one of the last times he may be doing crusades.”

        Hundreds from the Tristate are expected to hear the 82-year-old Rev. Mr. Graham, who has Parkinson's disease and has spent most of the past year in the hospital.

        Dino Senesi, 41, of Liberty Township, who plans to attend tonight's service, said the Rev. Mr. Graham is “as relevant as today's newspaper.”

        “When you hear from Billy Graham, you sense you're hearing from God,” said Mr. Senesi, director of missions for the Baptist Association of Greater Cincinnati. “He is a humble man; that's what's made Billy Graham useful to God.”

        Mr. Senesi saw the Rev. Mr. Graham at the University of Tennessee's Neyland Stadium in 1969 and in Indianapolis two years ago.

        “The town stands still,” Mr. Senesi said of the Indianapolis visit.

        Bobby Harper, 66, went to his first Graham crusade Thursday, but he has watched his TV specials and listened to him on the radio, and he appreciates his high-intensity Christian messages of fire, brimstone, redemption and hope.

        “He's one who gets pretty direct on what he's speaking about,” Mr. Harper said. “We've looked up to him for many years.”

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