Some fans waited in line up to two days to meet George and Laura Bush in Charlotte, South Carolina.
The Bushes and Billy Graham were mobbed at the book signing.
George Bush personally invited a 90 year-old World War II veteran to the signing.
WCNC reported:
The Reverend Billy Graham personally welcomed former President George W. Bush and his wife Laura to the Billy Graham Library on Monday, where the couple signed copies of their books.
A thousand people who had bought copies of both books and had been issued special wrist bands waited in line in the cold for hours for a chance to see Rev. Graham and the Bushes.
“It is kind of chilly out here but it is worth it,” said 90-year-old Herman Patterson.
Patterson is a Navy veteran of World War II who was surprised to get a call last week from a staff member at Mr. Bush’s office inviting him to come and meet the former President.
“He just said, ‘thank you for your service,’ and shook hands with me,” said Patterson.Billy Graham, who is now 92, did not address the crowd that lined up for the book signing, but he did share some words with Mr. Bush before leaving the room to a loud round of applause.
Graham is in a wheelchair but his son Franklin Graham said his father is doing remarkably well.
“His mind, I think, is sharper today than it was even five years ago. I don’t know what it is, he is just getting better,” Graham said of his father.
The Bushes spent close to three hours signing books. They had been invited recently by Franklin Graham to make the Billy Graham Library a stop on their book tour.
Bill Conard said that having the autographs of the former President and Mrs. Bush means a lot to him.
“These people have done a great job. Not perfect people like some of us are perfect,” he said with a smile.
In his book, Mr. Bush credits a conversation he had several years ago with Rev. Graham for turning his life around.
Franklin Graham said of that conversation, “The President made a decision for Jesus Christ when he realized he was a sinner and that Jesus Christ died for his sins and rose again and the President invited Christ to come into his heart.”