Famed televangelist Jimmy Swaggart is hospitalized in critical condition after he went into cardiac arrest in his Baton Rouge, Louisiana, residence on Sunday.
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According to local media outlet 4WWL, Swaggart’s son, Donnie, announced his condition during a prayer service.
Donnie revealed that after learning about the heart attack, he and his son Gabriel rushed to “mother’s house” and took turns giving chest compressions to the televangelist until first responders arrived.
“They were able to get a heartbeat back,” Donnie shared. “Right now, he is in ICU, and without a miracle, without a miracle, his time will be short.”
The Swaggart family asked for prayers.
“We’re going to give the Lord an opportunity to work,” Donnie continued. “We will not retreat. We will not quit.”
He then added, “We will not give up, and whether he’s healed here or there, God is still God.”
Swaggart Ministries Spokesperson Shared Jimmy Remains in ‘Grave Condition’
While speaking to 4WWL, Swaggart Ministries spokesperson Megan Kelly stated Jimmy remains in “grave condition” following his heart attack.
“Right now, he’s still in ICU,” Kelly explained. “His family has made it in town from all over, and they’re with him and they’re praying, and so are we.”
Kelly also stated, “Yes, we had a rather large bump in the road, but he has come back, and the comeback story has been greater than anything else. The lives saved. The lives that have been touched through his ministry are endless.”
The spokesperson further noted that Swaggart’s health has declined in recent years. “As you heard Pastor Donnie say last night, that just the night before, he was trying to take him to Bible study and he was slumped over,” she explained. “But he still refused to go home, and he still wanted to go.”
Meanwhile, Gabriel Swaggart released a statement. “As a family, our lives have been devoted to the work of God, and we need all of you to join us to pray and to seek God on our behalf. We serve a big God, and we believe God is able to do a miracle here tonight, and that’s what we’re asking for now.”
Born in March 1935, Swaggart is one of the most well-known televangelists in the United States. He first gained widespread recognition when The Jimmy Swaggart Telecast premiered in 1971. His self-titled ministries later launched the SonLife Broadcasting Network (SBN). He also founded the Jimmy Swaggart Bible College.
Swaggart has notably written bout 50 Christian books through his ministry. He has also sold more than 15 million records worldwide as a gospel artist. He even received a Grammy Award nomination.