On Tuesday, at 11:45, I drove by “The Mansion” (what we called Dr. Falwell’s office) and saw a couple police officers jump out of their vehicles to start directing traffic. At the time, I had no idea why. I didn’t even think for two seconds it was anything bad. About 5-10 minutes later, my boyfriend Jeffrey drove by the same place and was halted to see an ambulance, led my an unmarked police car, and our Executive Vice President, Ron Godwin, driving behind the ambulance with his lights flashing. That was a little before noon. By 12:30, I heard through my boss that he didn’t make it. My boss was speaking directly to Jerry’s cousin, Terry Falwell who gave him the saddening news. They didn’t make the announcement to faculty, staff and students until 2 PM at the new Thomas Road Baptist Church-the new sanctuary where Dr. Falwell waited 50 years to build. The new sanctuary completed was finally moved from its original location onto Liberty University’s campus just as Jerry had always dreamed it would. Since the opening in July, the motto “Year of Jubilee- 50 years” has been posted on the backdrop of the sanctuary. As I sat in TRBC today anticipating the news on Dr. Falwell, I looked at that motto on the wall and it made me smile. It truly was a year of Jubilee for him…and today he finalized it!
Never have I met a man that had such a great vision. He said over 30 years ago that God called him to build a university where students could get an unparalleled education, with a strong Christian curriculum; where there would be division 1 athletes–competing at the highest level in the NCAA, and where we would be the largest evangelical university in the world. God saw that those things were fulfilled before Jerry went to be home.
He knew so many important people in the world, all the presidents over the last 40 years and spiritual giants such as Billy Graham, yet he was never too busy to talk to his students. He truly loved them. In fact, just this morning, at breakfast with Dr. Godwin, his big excitement the day before was meeting with several students atop “Liberty Mountain” (as it was known) where the new LU monogram was located. While he was excited about his conversation with the Liberty students, what I found so neat is that God allowed him to go on top of that mountain one last time to see the magnitude of Liberty University covering over two miles long and all the thousands of acres with it.
I have had the joy these last 21 months to work in Liberty’s recruitment department and to recruit with Dr. Falwell at several special events—several of those times at my family’s church in Florida. Some of my fondest memories were speaking with the people that Dr. Falwell had influenced and touched over his 50 years of ministry. But what impressed me the most is that a man with his kind of influence in our country and all over the world, would remember me by name. It was like he had a file on “Natalie Mayer”. Each time he would see me, he would recite, as if reading it out of my personal file. He would list all the details about my family saying how I had such a dear family who attendned Dr. Powell’s church in Ft. Myers, and my daddy was a dentist, a deacon and how I had a dear sweet mother and a beautiful, sweet sister and how I was dating that big, LU pilot who was a hockey player from Canada”. Then, he would continue on by saying to whomever it was around him that I was his “number one” recruiter. How humbling and yet an honor to be known by name by this man.
The last time I spoke to Dr. Falwell was a little over three weeks ago. It was for a few brief moments. We chatted about my wonderful team of Liberty national recruiters and how they had just surpassed this year’s recruiting goal. He was so excited to hear that news. Dr. Falwell then gave me a big side hug, bent his head on mine like a grandpa would and said “My dear Natalie, my dear, sweet Natalie”.
When people say that this man was someone hateful and didn’t care about others, it hurts me beyond words. In all actuality, the world should be thanking him. Thanking him for not fearing what man thought but instead the willingness and courage to proclaim the truth so that the TRUTH would set the world free! He loved the world enough to tell them. Almost every sermon he preached, he would incorporate the Gospel and how our sin sets us apart from God, BUT, he would always share the good news… GOD LOVED THE WORLD SO MUCH THAT HE SENT HIS ONLY SON TO SAVE US!
Dr. Falwell always preached on finishing strong. It brings me such great joy in knowing HE DID FINISH STRONG!
Natalie Mayer is Director of National Recruitment at Liberty University.
