Televangelist Jimmy Swaggart is in intensive care after suffering a heart att.ack, and his condition is reportedly critical, according to his son. The severity of his illness has not yet been fully disclosed.
Donnie Swaggart, who shares the stage with his ailing 90-year-old father, revealed during Sunday’s service that Jimmy Swaggart needs a miracle “or his time is short.”
Family publicist Megan Kelly said emergency responders arrived swiftly after the controversial preacher went into cardiac arrest and praised them for their prompt and professional efforts.
“Ambulances were able to respond very quickly. They gave him CPR, they took turns doing it, and you can imagine how emotional that was and how stressful that was in that moment,” Kelly said per the New York Post.
There have not been any updates on his condition yet.
Jimmy Lee Swaggart (born March 15, 1935) is an American Pentecostal televangelist, gospel singer, pastor, and author. Raised in Ferriday, Louisiana, he began preaching in his teens and married Frances Anderson when he was just 17 and she was 15. For many years, they lived in poverty, preaching in small churches and motels before Swaggart started radio broadcasts in 1969 and launched the “Jimmy Swaggart Telecast” in 1971. By the early 1980s, his television ministry had gone national, reaching millions of viewers each week. He also founded the Family Worship Center in Baton Rouge and established a Bible college.
Swaggart enjoyed a successful gospel music career, selling over 15 million albums and receiving a Grammy nomination. His ministry expanded internationally, drawing large crowds across Latin America, Africa, and other regions.
Troubled Past: In 1988, Swaggart was involved in a sex scandal after being caught with a prostitute in a motel. He made a tearful public confession on live television, but the fallout was severe. He lost his credentials with the Assemblies of God and saw many of his broadcasts canceled. In 1991, he was again caught with a sex worker during a traffic stop in California. This time, he declined to publicly confess and briefly stepped away from the pulpit.
These scandals severely damaged his ministry. His Bible college enrollment dropped, donations declined, and many longtime supporters distanced themselves.
Comeback: Despite the controversies, Swaggart rebuilt his ministry independently. He launched the SonLife Broadcasting Network in 2007 and continues to lead the Family Worship Center.
