Billy Graham, preacher to millions, adviser to U.S. presidents, dies at 99

FILE PHOTO: Evangelist Billy Graham speaks to the capacity crowd at Raymond James Stadiun in Tampa, Florida October 22, 1998. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo

(Reuters) - U.S. evangelist Billy Graham, who counselled presidents and preached to millions across the world from his native North Carolina to communist North Korea during his 70 years in the pulpit, died on Wednesday at the age of 99, a spokesman said.

Graham died at 8 a.m. EST (1300 GMT) at his home in Montreat, North Carolina, according to Jeremy Blume, a spokesman for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.