The Rev. Billy Graham, who's also been fighting health concerns for some time now, is living proof that faith, prayer and determination are a powerful force.

Graham celebrated his 90th birthday Friday with a quiet private family gathering at the family home in Montreat, N.C., where he has lived for more than 55 years.

His beloved wife Ruth died at age 87 last year.

In 2006, I wrote a column about Graham after a reader wrote to me asking about Graham's syndicated column "My Answer," which he has penned for more than 30 years, distributed by Tribune Media Services.

According to the folks at Tribune Media Services, the offices of his ministry still submit his popular column six days a week. The columns arrive written two weeks in advance every Tuesday and are reviewed by his editor, Stacy Deibler, who also served as the longtime editor for Dave Barry's syndicated column.

(The Tribune Media Services representative became a bit agitated when I asked how many newspapers carry Graham's column and also how "involved" he really is these days with the actual writing of the column.)

Graham, who has been a favorite confidante of numerous U.S. presidents, from Lyndon B. Johnson to Bill Clinton, has been in frail health for some time. He has suffered from Parkinson's disease for 15 years, battled broken hips, pneumonia and, most recently, revealed he now is fighting prostate cancer. Despite last wishes, in 2004 he was unable to officiate at President Ronald Reagan's funeral, also due to illness. The last public appearance I recall is when he shared a few brief moments for cameras, seen slowly walking aided by a walker in August 2005 attending the groundbreaking of a library in his honor in Charlotte, N.C.

He has given the prayer at the inauguration of every U.S. President since Harry S. Truman, with the exception of having to miss attending George W. Bush's first inauguration in 2001 due to illness.

And while he is equally famed for his famous friendships with notables like singers Johnny Cash and Pat Boone, some of his noted friendships have also caused controversy.

For example, his close ties to Richard Nixon during his U.S. Presidency felled him, and even still haunted him three decades later, when tape-recorded conversations were released in 2003 of Graham talking with Nixon in the Oval Office that included Graham sharing unkind opinions about Jewish people, as well as attacking the news media. (He publicly apologized.)

Graham has also made harsh statements about Islam, calling it "a greater threat than anyone's willing to speak" and in his last book, writing that "Christianity and Islam are enemies in a classic struggle that will end with the second coming of Christ," and that "the war against terrorism is just another conflict between evil and The Name (Jesus Christ)."

Such words have angered Muslims both here and abroad.

On Sept. 14, 2001, in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, Graham led a prayer and remembrance service at Washington National Cathedral attended by President Bush and past and present leaders, providing the same comfort to the world as when he similarly spoke at the memorial service following the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995.Graham has already announced his final resting place will be alongside his wife at a special burial place at the library in North Carolina named in his honor.Interestingly, crime novelist and family friend Patricia Cornwell has criticized the site for the Grahams' burial, citing that Mrs. Graham had always asked to be buried in the mountains of North Carolina so as to not be "a tourist attraction."

Graham has already announced his final resting place will be alongside his wife at a special burial place at the library in North Carolina named in his honor.

Interestingly, crime novelist and family friend Patricia Cornwell has criticized the site for the Grahams' burial, citing that Mrs. Graham had always asked to be buried in the mountains of North Carolina so as to not be "a tourist attraction."The opinions are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at ppotempa@nwitimes.com or (219) 852-4327.celebBirthdays Actress June Havoc (Baby June from "Gypsy") is 96. Actor Norman Lloyd ("St. Elsewhere") is 94. Singer Patti Page is 81. CBS newsman Morley Safer is 77. Singer Bonnie Bramlett is 64. Singer Roy Wood of Electric Light Orchestra is 62. Singer Bonnie Raitt is 59. "Entertainment Tonight" host Mary Hart and actress Jayne Marie Mansfield are 58. "Playboy" CEO Christie Hefner is 56. Actress Alfre Woodard is 55. Singer-songwriter Rickie Lee Jones is 54. Skateboard great Steve Caballero is 44. Singer-actor Leif

Garrett is 47. Actress Courtney Thorne-Smith ("According to Jim," "Ally McBeal") is 41. Actress Parker Posey is 40. Actress Roxana Zal ("Something About Amelia") is 39. Singer Diana King is 38. Actress Gretchen Mol is 35. Actress Tara Reid ("American Pie") is 33. Singer Bucky Covington ("American Idol") is 31. Actress Dania Ramirez is 29. Actress Quinn Culkin ("The Good Son") is 24. TV personality Jack Osbourne ("The Osbournes") is 23.

The opinions are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at ppotempa@nwitimes.com or (219) 852-4327.

celebBirthdays

Actress June Havoc (Baby June from "Gypsy") is 96. Actor Norman Lloyd ("St. Elsewhere") is 94. Singer Patti Page is 81. CBS newsman Morley Safer is 77. Singer Bonnie Bramlett is 64. Singer Roy Wood of Electric Light Orchestra is 62. Singer Bonnie Raitt is 59. "Entertainment Tonight" host Mary Hart and actress Jayne Marie Mansfield are 58. "Playboy" CEO Christie Hefner is 56. Actress Alfre Woodard is 55. Singer-songwriter Rickie Lee Jones is 54. Skateboard great Steve Caballero is 44. Singer-actor Leif Garrett is 47. Actress Courtney Thorne-Smith ("According to Jim," "Ally McBeal") is 41. Actress Parker Posey is 40. Actress Roxana Zal ("Something About Amelia") is 39. Singer Diana King is 38. Actress Gretchen Mol is 35. Actress Tara Reid ("American Pie") is 33. Singer Bucky Covington ("American Idol") is 31. Actress Dania

Ramirez is 29. Actress Quinn Culkin ("The Good Son") is 24. TV personality Jack Osbourne ("The Osbournes") is 23.