October 1, 2026
NASHVILLE (BP) — David Ring was born dead. He would recover, with a cerebral palsy diagnosis that may have limited him physically but elevated a personal testimony he shared with numerous crowds during an evangelistic ministry spanning more than 50 years.
Ring was placed to the side for 18 minutes after he was born on Oct. 28, 1953, in Jonesboro, Ark., the doctor choosing to tend to Ring’s mother as the baby had apparently died during childbirth. Ring recovered, though he lived with cerebral palsy and became an orphan at age 14. Shuttled around to various relatives, his was a life of “constant physical pain, humiliating public ridicule and constant discouragement,” according to his biography page at DavidRing.org.
He became a Christian and, since 1973, had shared his faith domestically and internationally at times to more than 100,000 people each year at churches and various other functions. His signature line to crowds was “I have cerebral palsy – what’s your problem?”
Ring died Sept. 26, according to a statement from his children posted Monday night on Ring’s Facebook page.
“At this time, there are no funeral or memorial plans. As we process this loss as a family, we ask that you please respect our need for privacy while we navigate this grief. Our family truly appreciates your compassion, prayers, and understanding during this time.”
Ring wrote two books about his life. “Just As I Am: The Life of David Ring” was co-authored with writer Lela Gilbert in 1996. “The Boy Born Dead” (2015) expanded on his lifelong journey to being an evangelist and was written alongside his best friend from high school, Pastor David Wideman of Christ Journey Church in Coral Gables, Fla.
Audiences became familiar with Ring through his appearances on Jerry Falwell’s “Old Time Gospel Hour” and James Dobson’s “Focus on the Family” program. His time as one of the speakers at the 1975 Missouri Baptist Pastors’ Conference boosted his visibility among Southern Baptists, Ring told the Missouri Baptist Pathway in 2005. He gave his testimony at the 1978 SBC Pastors’ Conference, and during the 1991 SBC Annual Meeting, Ring led a time of prayer during a part of the program titled “A Fresh Encounter with God” that was part of a special session focusing on a call for spiritual renewal across America.
Southern Baptists joined others in offering their words of appreciation for Ring’s ministry.
“So sad to hear that our friend David Ring passed away,” Frank Cox, senior pastor of North Metro Baptist Church in Hoschton, Ga., posted to X. “David assisted in my first wife Debbie’s funeral in 1986 and then married me and Mary in 1987. He has been a dear friend. Just had a 1-hour phone conversation with David 2 weeks ago. Praying for Karen and the kids.”
Ring maintained a consistent speaking schedule and was planning to preach at Anchor Holds Baptist Church in Knoxville, Tenn.
The announcement of Ring’s death included a photo of him preaching. The phrase accompanying it is “No More Cerebral Palsy.”
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This article appeared in Baptist Press.
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