David Ring, the Christian evangelist who spoke to crowds for more than 50 years about living with cerebral palsy, died on September 26, 2026, at age 72. This article covers what has been confirmed about his death, his life and ministry, and his family. Many other men named David Ring have published obituaries, so this page is only about the evangelist.
Latest Update: October 1, 2026
As of October 1, 2026, Baptist Press reports that Ring died on September 26, 2026, according to a statement from his children posted on Monday night, September 28, on his Facebook page. The report was published on September 29, 2026. The family’s statement said there are no funeral or memorial plans at this time and asked for privacy while they grieve. The report says he had been scheduled to preach at Anchor Holds Baptist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.
The cause and place of his death have not been made public in the sources I checked. Some low-quality websites posted “obituary” articles with extra details and an account of early posts that were later corrected. I could not confirm those details, so this page does not repeat them.
Who Was David Ring?
David Ring was a Christian evangelist, author and motivational speaker who lived with cerebral palsy. Since 1973, he shared his story at churches, conventions, schools and corporate events, speaking, by his own ministry’s account, to more than 100,000 people each year. His signature line was “I have cerebral palsy, what’s your problem?”
Background / Early Life
Ring was born on October 28, 1953, in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Baptist Press reports that the doctor set him aside for 18 minutes after birth, thinking he had died, while tending to his mother. He survived, and he lived with cerebral palsy for the rest of his life. He was the youngest of eight children, according to a profile on the Acts Web site.
Wikipedia says his father, Oscar Newton Ring, was a Baptist pastor who died in 1964, and his mother died of cancer four years later, leaving Ring an orphan at age 14. His own ministry’s biography says he was passed from relative to relative and endured constant pain, ridicule and discouragement. It places part of his teenage years in Liberty, Missouri. Wikipedia reports that Ring has described depression and suicide attempts during the years after his mother’s death.
Career Path
Beginning of His Ministry
Ring became a Christian and began sharing his testimony in 1973. A 365 Christian Men profile says a teacher arranged a school assembly where students came to hear him speak, billed as “the boy born dead.” That story is told by his ministry’s supporters, and I could not confirm it independently.
National Exposure
Baptist Press says audiences came to know Ring through his appearances on Jerry Falwell’s “Old Time Gospel Hour” and James Dobson’s “Focus on the Family.” He spoke at the 1975 Missouri Baptist Pastors’ Conference and at the 1978 Southern Baptist Convention Pastors’ Conference. At the 1991 SBC annual meeting, he led a time of prayer.
Books
Ring wrote two books about his life. “Just As I Am: The Life of David Ring,” co-written with Lela Gilbert, is dated 1994 by Wikipedia and 1996 by Baptist Press. “The Boy Born Dead” was published in 2015 and was written with his high school friend Pastor David Wideman of Christ Journey Church in Coral Gables, Florida.
Final Years
Baptist Press says Ring kept a regular speaking schedule up to the end of his life. A pastor, Frank Cox, wrote on X that Ring had assisted at his first wife’s funeral in 1986 and married him and his second wife in 1987, and that they spoke by phone about two weeks before his death.
David Ring Age
Ring was born on October 28, 1953, and was 72 years old when he died on September 26, 2026. He would have turned 73 on October 28, 2026. The calculation is 2026 minus 1953, which is 73, minus one because his birthday had not yet occurred.
David Ring Family and Parents
His father was Oscar Newton Ring, a Baptist pastor who died in 1964, and his mother died of cancer about four years later. I did not find her name in the sources I checked.
David Ring Wife and Children
Ring was married to Karen, and the couple made their home in Nashville, Tennessee, according to his ministry’s website and the James Dobson Family Institute. The Dobson page lists four children, April, Ashley, Nathan and Amy Joy, and three grandchildren. Other, older profiles give two grandchildren, so the count may have changed. His children issued the statement announcing his death.
David Ring Education
I did not find reliable details about his schooling beyond his teenage years in Missouri, so none are stated.
David Ring Religion
Ring was a Christian evangelist with strong ties to Southern Baptist churches and events. His father was a Baptist pastor.
David Ring Height and Net Worth
I found no reliable source for his height or net worth, so neither is stated. Any net-worth figure on a third-party website should be treated as an estimate.
David Ring Cause of Death
The cause of death has not been made public in the sources I checked. Baptist Press quotes the family asking for privacy.
Quick Table
| Full Name | David Ring |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | October 28, 1953 |
| Date of Death | September 26, 2026 |
| Age | 72 |
| Birthplace | Jonesboro, Arkansas |
| Residence | Nashville, Tennessee |
| Occupation | Christian evangelist, author and motivational speaker |
| Known For | “I have cerebral palsy, what’s your problem?”; ministry since 1973 |
| Books | “Just As I Am: The Life of David Ring”; “The Boy Born Dead” (2015) |
| Wife | Karen |
| Children | April, Ashley, Nathan and Amy Joy |
| Cause of Death | Not released |
| Funeral or Memorial | None planned at this time, per his children |
Reader Questions
Who was David Ring?
He was a Christian evangelist and motivational speaker with cerebral palsy. He shared his testimony nationally and internationally from 1973 until his death.
Did David Ring die?
Yes. His children announced that he died on September 26, 2026, and Baptist Press reported it on September 29, 2026.
How old was David Ring?
He was 72. He was born on October 28, 1953.
What was David Ring’s cause of death?
The cause has not been made public. His family asked for privacy.
Is there a funeral for David Ring?
His children said there are no funeral or memorial plans at this time. Check his official ministry page or Facebook page for any later update.
What was David Ring famous for?
He was known for his line “I have cerebral palsy, what’s your problem?” and for speaking to large audiences about faith and overcoming hardship.
Who was David Ring married to?
He was married to Karen. They lived in Nashville, Tennessee, and had four children.
Wrap-Up
David Ring turned a childhood of loss and disability into a ministry that lasted more than 50 years. Southern Baptists and many others have shared tributes since his death was announced, and his own books and appearances remain the best record of his story.
The family’s request for privacy limits what is known about his final days. No cause of death, place of death or service has been announced, and early social-media posts were not reliable until his children’s statement.
As of October 1, 2026, David Ring’s death on September 26, 2026, is confirmed through his family’s statement as reported by Baptist Press, and no funeral or memorial plans have been announced.
Disclaimer
This article is based on news reports and public profiles reviewed on October 1, 2026. Details that could not be verified, including the cause of his death, are identified as such.
