[FlamingYalieWahoo]

I thought it might be nice if we could share the memories of our last encounters with Dr. Falwell - close or at a distance. I had two within two weeks which were the most I had had in several years.

1. My nephew who is a high school sophmore came to the last CFAW in April. I travelled down to Liberty to show him around. It was his first time there and I believe his first time to hear Dr. Falwell live because to convo together and heard Dr. Falwell give the message. It was pretty much the same one I heard 30 years ago at my CFAW. It was a meaningful experience to begin with being there with my nephew but now given the circumstances it has such an even more special meaning. The torch has been passed.

2. I attended the LU history department's conference the following week. Before the first plenary session Dr. Falwell gave the opening prayer. We were in the "Supreme Court Room" at the Law School. He was going on and on about the room and then about the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the partial birth abortion ban. He was jokingly complaining that he had to leave and accompany Macel to LU's performance of Thoroughly Modern Millie.

[JDUB]

a couple times this semester
1. i went to the student center and he and macel were sitting in there with there grandkids, watching them play the new ps3's. i went and talked to him for a couple minutes.
2. spring game when he drove by and gmtm yelled something about the red sox at him. he had a huge smile on his face. then i saw him in the luxery box when i went and looked around, but i couldn't talk to him b/c he was talking with someone else

[BJWilliams]

I was out with the Sword Fight Club and we were having one of our last battle days. (the last softball doubleheader was going on at the time), well sure enough, just as Dr Falwell is about to leave, a coupel of the guys talk him into getting a picture taken with all of us, boffing weapons in hand (actually they handed Dr Falwell one for the picture).

[4everfsu]

2005 homecoming, the alumni meeting the night before the game, after Jerry spoke to us I met him, shook his hands, told him it has been 30 yrs since my graduation 1975 and my first time ever on Liberty Mtn. He called me an old timer and smiled, he mention me in his Sunday sermon that week, not by name but by reference, 30 yrs away and back to visit.

[magnolialeague]

I encountered Jerry at Villanova University in 1989 or 1990. At the time, I didn't like the man at all. I am a Northeast Catholic that was conditioned into believing that he was was bible-thumping travelling salesman swindling good people by begging for money behind the act that he was a man of God. What can I say? I grew up near the New York media and they controlled my mind. I saw him on TV and I just didn't get what people saw in this man. it seemed so clear.

Jerry walked past me at the Villanova stadium with a big grin and I didn't care for it. At the time, the word was that Jerry wanted to be a success on the football field and he was going to use the money of his crappy university to buy himself a good team with the money he brought in from tuition.

Then I transferred to Vanderbilt University. My perspective on everything changed. My roomate was a Baptist. He said on occassion that the line to hell was long from all of the Catholics. It was in a joking manner. In Nashville I met Evangelicals who actually stood up against the mainstream media and punched back for God. It was different than the sheep I had seen in the Northeast who were insulted by secularists daily and took it. Then I watch Rev Falwell again and saw something different. I saw in my mind the same grin as I remembered at the stadium that day but it wasn't arrogance but instead it was pride. A new reality settled in. He loved his school. He loved the Bible. He loved America. And, despite the hater the media wanted to portray, he really loved Americans but would periodically display his disappointment in what he saw were wayward lifestyle choices that strayed from the teachings in the Bible.

Liberty is a school that has been constantly on the rise under his stewardship. I wandered through Lynchburg once and it looked like a heck of a nice town. My wife and I dined in a small joint on the outside of town and were treated very kindly. It occurred to me, this is how people ought to interact with one another as opposed to the rat race I was living in New York City. The Liberty community just ha a warmth about it that is enviable.

One of my regrets in life is that I never had a chance to say that I am sorry for my initial perceptions of who he was. I also wanted to thank him for standing strong for Christ on the world stage when so many wilted under the spotlight. So, although I never had a chance to say these things while he was here in physical form I hope his spirit can plug into cyberspace. May he rest in peace.

[FlamingYalieWahoo]

WOW!!! Magnolialeague that was an awesome post. Thanks for sharing.

[Sly Fox]

I'm with FYW, that was an outstanding tribute magnolialeague.

[El Scorcho]

The last time I actually had direct contact with Dr. Falwell was, by my wife's request, to let he and Jerry Jr. know that she had gone into labor. (She works in the mansion.) This is the reply that I received:

From: ***@*******.*** [***@******.***]
Sent: Sun 9/17/2006 07:44
To: *****, Nicholas; Falwell, Jerry L., Jr.
Cc:
Subject: Re: Update on Kelli
Attachments:

Nick, we shall be praying for Kelli, the precious new member of the ***** family, and, of course, for you. I will also tell the world. Tell Kelli to take off Wednesday and return to work Thursday.

Jerry Falwell

Of course I took out the sensitive parts, but I know that when he said he was praying for our family, he meant it. I'll always treasure that.

[bigsmooth]

it was the spring football game. we were sipping on some cold pepsi's in the new suite and talking about the red sox/yankees series that weekend. it was funny in that the national anthem was being played, but some christian rap was playing in the background, and it finally got cut off during the middle of the anthem. jerry said "thank you so much, i will pay you to keep it turned off the rest of the game". he chuckled and gave a big smile!

[krh44]

On May 12th I had the chance to meet Dr Falwell at the Winthrop baseball game. We were in the press box and he was his normall self joking around. Someone asked him where he got the 2 jokes used last Sunday. He said that he probably just made them up. Then he asked if we thought they were Christian. He also said the democrates called and told him to leave Hillary alone. He had his wife and a couple of grandchildren with him. If I didn't know who he was I would have thought that he was geniune person and family man. He listened to everything I said like I was his best friend. I normally take my camera to the games - why I didn't that Saturday I'll never know. After the game everyone left and I just hung back to walk down the stairs with Dr Falwell and his wife and shoke his hand as we left the field house.

[PAmedic]

I know I posted this before- but here it is again:

GMTM and I were in the FOC after the Flames Club luncheon (weekend of the Spring game)

he was antagonizing Jerry about the Sox/Yankees, and threatened to buy Doc a Boston tshirt. I offered Jerry a pack of matches and my assistance in burning said shirt in the event that we had the chance.

In retrospect- we probably should've held GMTM down and burned him with cigarettes or something, while we still had the opportunity.

Typical Jerry though, taking it as good as he gave it. Great way to remember him.