David Ring, the Christian evangelist and motivational speaker known for sharing his life story with audiences around the world, has reportedly died at the age of 72. News of his reported passing was shared by ministry leaders, churches and people who knew him, prompting tributes to a preacher whose public testimony centered on faith, perseverance and living with cerebral palsy.
Because a formal family obituary has not yet been located in the available reporting, the death should be described as reported rather than presented as independently confirmed. Ring’s official ministry website was also still displaying information about his speaking work and 2026–2027 bookings when reviewed, creating an important reason for readers to await a direct family or ministry announcement.
Latest Update: September 29, 2026
As of September 29, 2026, several Christian ministry figures and churches have publicly shared messages saying David Ring died Saturday morning. Tim Lee Ministries posted that Ring had “gone to heaven Saturday morning” and asked people to pray for his family. Other friends and ministry contacts, including DeWayne Howard and Frank Shelton, also shared statements about his reported death.
Anchor Holds Baptist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee, also posted about Ring after its congregation learned he had died. According to the report, Ring had been expected to preach at the church but did not arrive or check into his hotel. People who knew him subsequently shared memories of his decades of evangelistic work.
The available reports do not establish a specific cause of death. Some ministry contacts referred generally to health problems Ring had experienced in recent months, but no verified medical cause has been publicly established in the sources reviewed. Funeral and memorial arrangements also had not been announced in those reports.
The status of Ring’s official ministry website is another reason for careful wording. The site describes him in the present tense and says he was accepting bookings for 2026 and 2027. That information may not have been updated after the reported death, but it means readers should distinguish between the reported passing and a formal obituary confirmation.
Who Was David Ring?
David Ring was an American Christian evangelist, author and motivational speaker whose ministry grew from his personal experience with cerebral palsy, the death of both parents during his childhood and the difficulties he faced growing up. His message became closely associated with encouraging people not to allow physical limitations or personal struggles to define the rest of their lives.
Ring was born on October 28, 1953, in Jonesboro, Arkansas. His father, Oscar Newton Ring, was a Baptist pastor. His mother also played an important role in his childhood, but both parents died while he was young. His father died in 1964, and his mother died from cancer four years later, leaving Ring an orphan at 14.
His childhood was also shaped by cerebral palsy. Ring’s ministry website says he was born after an extremely difficult delivery and was considered dead for 18 minutes. His later testimony described the physical challenges, discouragement and social rejection he experienced while growing up. Those experiences eventually became central to the message he carried into churches, schools, conventions and other public gatherings.
Faith and the Beginning of His Ministry
After losing his parents and facing serious emotional and personal struggles, Ring’s life took a different direction during his teenage years. His published biography says his sister encouraged him toward Christian faith in 1970. He later returned to Liberty High School in Missouri and graduated in 1971.
Ring continued his education at William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1976. His college years helped prepare him for the public speaking and ministry career that would become his life’s work.
His ministry career began in the 1970s. Ring’s official biography says he had been speaking publicly since 1973 and eventually reached more than 100,000 people each year through churches, conventions, schools and corporate events. His work combined Christian preaching with personal testimony and motivational speaking.
A Message Built Around Perseverance
Ring became widely recognized for a direct message about refusing to use hardship as an excuse for giving up. His cerebral palsy was not something he attempted to hide from audiences. Instead, he placed it at the center of his testimony and used his experiences to encourage people facing their own difficulties.
His familiar message about cerebral palsy became one of the identifying features of his public speaking career. Rather than presenting his disability as the whole story of his life, Ring used it as a starting point for talking about faith, determination and personal responsibility. His ministry described him as a speaker who encouraged people to confront their own challenges.
His testimony also reached audiences beyond local churches. Ring appeared on nationally known Christian programs and was featured through ministries associated with The 700 Club, The Old-Time Gospel Hour, Bill Gaither’s Praise Gathering and Focus on the Family.
David Ring’s Books
Ring’s life story was also preserved in books. One of his best-known works is Just As I Am: The Life of David Ring as Told to Lela Gilbert. The book was published by Moody Publishers and presents his experiences with cerebral palsy, family loss, faith and the development of his ministry.
His later book, The Boy Born Dead, focused on the unusual circumstances surrounding his birth and the journey that followed. Ring’s official ministry site describes the book as a story of friendship, courage and transformation, while explaining that it also recounts his childhood struggles and the role friendship played in his development.
These books gave readers an opportunity to understand the story behind the preacher they heard from church platforms. His message was not based only on general motivational advice. It came from experiences he had repeatedly discussed in public, including disability, orphanhood, rejection, faith and the search for purpose.
Family and Personal Life
David Ring was married to Karen Ring. Focus on the Family described the couple as living in Nashville, Tennessee, and said they had four adult children and several grandchildren. His official ministry website similarly identifies Karen as his wife and says the family includes four children and five grandchildren.
Some older ministry material publicly names his children, but more recent official information does not list all family members individually. For that reason, this obituary does not add unconfirmed family details that are not consistently supported by current sources.
Family remained an important part of Ring’s public story. His ministry biography describes his wife and children alongside the long speaking career he built after years of personal difficulty. The family also became part of the wider community that surrounded his evangelistic work.
David Ring Age
David Ring was born October 28, 1953. If the reported death occurred on Saturday, September 26, 2026, he was 72 years old at the time of his reported passing. He would have turned 73 on October 28, 2026. His birth date is consistently listed in ministry and biographical sources.
David Ring Religion and Ministry
Christian faith was at the center of David Ring’s public life. He was widely identified as a Christian evangelist and motivational speaker, and his testimony regularly focused on his relationship with Jesus Christ and his belief that faith helped him overcome discouragement.
His preaching career therefore cannot be separated from his personal testimony. For decades, he used the story of his childhood and disability to communicate a broader Christian message about hope, perseverance and purpose.
David Ring Net Worth
There is no reliable, publicly verified figure for David Ring’s personal net worth. Although various websites may publish estimates for entertainers, speakers and religious figures, those figures are generally not supported by financial records. No specific net-worth amount is included here because it could give readers a false impression of certainty.
David Ring Height
David Ring’s exact height has not been reliably established by the official ministry sources reviewed for this obituary. Because online celebrity-profile sites can publish conflicting measurements without documentation, no specific height is given.
David Ring’s Legacy
Ring’s legacy is closely tied to the way he turned his personal experiences into a public ministry. He spent decades speaking about cerebral palsy, childhood loss, discouragement and faith. His ministry website says he reached more than 100,000 people annually, while Christian organizations have continued to feature his testimony and speaking work.
His influence was also reflected in the reaction to the reported news of his death. Ministry leaders, pastors, churches and former listeners shared memories of hearing him preach and described his testimony as an important influence on their own faith. Those responses show how widely his speaking ministry had reached over the years.
For many people, Ring was remembered not simply as a preacher with a disability, but as someone who made his life story the foundation of a message about refusing to surrender to adversity. His career lasted for more than five decades, beginning in the early 1970s and continuing into 2026.
Quick Facts About David Ring
| Full Name | David Ring |
|---|---|
| Born | October 28, 1953 |
| Birthplace | Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA |
| Age at Reported Death | 72 |
| Profession | Christian evangelist, author and motivational speaker |
| Known For | Christian preaching, motivational speaking and his testimony about cerebral palsy |
| Wife | Karen Ring |
| Children | Four adult children |
| Residence | Nashville, Tennessee |
| Ministry Began | 1973 |
| Cause of Death | Not publicly established in the reports reviewed |
| Funeral Details | Not announced in the available reports reviewed |
Reader Questions
Who was David Ring?
David Ring was an American Christian evangelist, author and motivational speaker known for sharing his testimony about cerebral palsy, orphanhood and faith. He spoke publicly for decades and appeared through several major Christian media ministries.
Did David Ring die?
Several ministry leaders, churches and friends reported that David Ring died Saturday morning in September 2026. However, a formal family obituary or independently published confirmation had not been located in the sources reviewed, so the report should be treated carefully pending further confirmation.
How old was David Ring when he died?
David Ring was 72 based on his October 28, 1953 birth date and the reported September 2026 death. He would have turned 73 in October 2026.
What was David Ring known for?
Ring was best known for his Christian evangelism and motivational speaking. His ministry focused heavily on his experience living with cerebral palsy and overcoming major personal challenges through faith.
What happened to David Ring’s parents?
His father, Baptist pastor Oscar Newton Ring, died in 1964, while his mother died from cancer four years later. Their deaths left David orphaned at age 14.
Who was David Ring’s wife?
David Ring was married to Karen Ring. Christian ministry sources say they lived in Nashville, Tennessee, and had four adult children and several grandchildren.
What was David Ring’s cause of death?
A specific cause of death had not been established in the reports reviewed as of September 29, 2026. Some people close to Ring referred to health problems in recent months, but that does not establish a medical cause.
Did David Ring write any books?
Yes. His published works include Just As I Am: The Life of David Ring as Told to Lela Gilbert and The Boy Born Dead. Both books focus on his life story, faith and experiences with adversity.
Wrap-Up
David Ring’s life story became the foundation of a Christian speaking career that lasted more than five decades. Born in Arkansas with cerebral palsy, he experienced the loss of both parents as a child before eventually finding a renewed sense of purpose through his Christian faith. His personal experiences later became the central subject of his preaching and writing.
The current reports of his death have led churches, ministry leaders and longtime friends to remember the influence of his testimony. At the same time, the absence of a formal family obituary in the sources reviewed means details surrounding his passing should remain limited to what has been publicly reported and verified.
For audiences who heard him speak over the years, Ring’s lasting message was centered on hope, faith and confronting life’s obstacles rather than allowing them to determine one’s future. His books, recordings, ministry appearances and decades of public speaking preserve that message for people who encountered his work during his lifetime.
Disclaimer
This obituary is based on publicly available information reviewed on September 29, 2026. Reports from ministry leaders, churches and people who knew David Ring state that he died Saturday morning, but a formal family obituary or independently published confirmation was not located in the sources reviewed. His official ministry website was still displaying 2026–2027 booking information when checked. No specific cause of death or funeral arrangements had been confirmed in the available reporting. This article will require updating if Ring’s family or ministry releases additional official information.
