A FATHER’S SONG, A SON’S TEARS: Just Now in Louisiana — Donnie Swaggart Sings Jimmy’s Favorite Hymn Before the Casket Is Lowered

A FATHER’S SONG, A SON’S TEARS: Just Now in Louisiana — Donnie Swaggart Sings Jimmy’s Favorite Hymn Before the Casket Is Lowered — But Breaks Down on the Final Line, Saying “I Can’t Sing Where He’s Already…”

In an emotional farewell that will be remembered for generations, Donnie Swaggart stood at the graveside of his father, Jimmy Swaggart, and began to sing the hymn his father loved more than any other: “I’ll Fly Away.”

Surrounded by family, friends, and a hushed crowd of mourners in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Donnie’s voice trembled through the verses that once echoed through revival tents and television screens — the same hymn Jimmy sang countless times across decades of ministry.

Donnie Swaggart

But as he reached the final line, something shifted. Donnie stopped, swallowed hard, and then broke down in tears. “I can’t sing where he’s already gone,” he whispered, stepping back from the mic.

A holy silence fell over the crowd, broken only by the wind moving through the trees and quiet sobs from those who’d followed the Swaggart ministry for a lifetime.

The casket was then lowered — not just into the earth, but into history — as one of the most influential voices in American gospel was laid to rest.

It wasn’t just a song. It was a son’s final offering. And in that unfinished note, hearts across Louisiana — and around the world — heard the sound of grief, love, and a legacy that will never fade.