The story that the Las Vegas superstar was "down in the dumps the day he died"-- but not suicidal-- was the most significant of three stories reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Thursday, the morning after TabloidBaby.com reported that the paper's editors were deliberately not publishing what they and their reporters knew about the sudden death of the musical impressionist at age 52.
Mike Weatherford's column identified Gans' golfing partner as "David Graham, a personal pastor and golf buddy to the late impressionist", "a former golf pro who founded Christian City Church on Las Vegas Boulevard."
Graham, as it turns out has been a Gans pal for years, and popped up on the links with Gans in a 2002 LA Times profile of Gans by Paul Brownfield.
Graham's bio appears not on the church site, but one for David M. Graham Ministries, Inc.:"Prior to turning his life over to God, Graham was a successful business man owning a construction company with offices in several U.S. Cities as well as being a Professional Golfer on the PGA tour.
"After turning his life over to God Dr. Graham was on fire, earning a Bachelors Degree from Beulah University and both a Masters Degree and a PhD from Vision International. He is currently working on an MDiv degree from Southwestern University.
"Dr. Graham and his wife Melinda started an Over Comers Ministry in Georgia to help people with drug and alcohol addictions. The ministry became successful that members of the law Enforcement community would refer people to the ministry. The Over Comers Ministry is still going strong today.
"In 1999, Dr. Graham followed the call of God and packed up his wife and their daughter and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. In 2000 Dr. Graham founded and became the Senior Pastor of Christian City Church Las Vegas. After being open for just over 2 years, the church was recognized by both City and State Official's for it rapid growth and work in the community.
"In 2007 Dr. Graham made a decision once again to follow the call that God had on his life and concentrate on Evangelism and teaching."
With evangelist Benny Perez of the Church at South Las Vegas and Rev. Gary Morefield of Green Valley Christian Center (who led a prayer meeting with Gans' band the day he died), Graham is the third man to be identified by local news media as "Gans' pastor."
According to Paul Brownfield's article, Gans' father, former Catskills drummer and comedian Sid Gans, was a Jew:
"After turning his life over to God Dr. Graham was on fire, earning a Bachelors Degree from Beulah University and both a Masters Degree and a PhD from Vision International. He is currently working on an MDiv degree from Southwestern University.
"Dr. Graham and his wife Melinda started an Over Comers Ministry in Georgia to help people with drug and alcohol addictions. The ministry became successful that members of the law Enforcement community would refer people to the ministry. The Over Comers Ministry is still going strong today.
"In 1999, Dr. Graham followed the call of God and packed up his wife and their daughter and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. In 2000 Dr. Graham founded and became the Senior Pastor of Christian City Church Las Vegas. After being open for just over 2 years, the church was recognized by both City and State Official's for it rapid growth and work in the community.
"In 2007 Dr. Graham made a decision once again to follow the call that God had on his life and concentrate on Evangelism and teaching."
With evangelist Benny Perez of the Church at South Las Vegas and Rev. Gary Morefield of Green Valley Christian Center (who led a prayer meeting with Gans' band the day he died), Graham is the third man to be identified by local news media as "Gans' pastor."
According to Paul Brownfield's article, Gans' father, former Catskills drummer and comedian Sid Gans, was a Jew:
"Sid Gans can tell you the name of the player who stepped on his son's Achille's heel, ending his baseball career.
It was in the hospital after that incident that Danny Gans says he met a man in the next bed who... told Gans that 'God has another plan for you.'
"Since then, Gans has rededicated himself to the Lord. He calls himself a devout Christian, and forms a prayer circle with his band before each performance.
"Sid Gans is Jewish. He says he's happy that his son found spiritual guidance, but he isn't interested. 'They're pushin' me with the church business,' Sid Gans said of his family. 'Every two months I'd go to the church with them and I'd sit there aggravated.'"
It was in the hospital after that incident that Danny Gans says he met a man in the next bed who... told Gans that 'God has another plan for you.'
"Since then, Gans has rededicated himself to the Lord. He calls himself a devout Christian, and forms a prayer circle with his band before each performance.
"Sid Gans is Jewish. He says he's happy that his son found spiritual guidance, but he isn't interested. 'They're pushin' me with the church business,' Sid Gans said of his family. 'Every two months I'd go to the church with them and I'd sit there aggravated.'"
TabloidBaby.com has learned that Mike Weatherford's column, which revealed that Gans was out playing golf on his final day, had been written more than a week before it was published into the paper's entertainment guide as opposed to being rushed into the "news hole" (the story's significance was demonstrated by its pickup by news outlets around the world).
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